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<p>Anyone have predictions regarding who will win and how this will affect the middle east?</p>
<p>Apparently Hamas now controls Gaza. Basically it means there is not going to be a Middle Eastern settlement before Iran gets the bomb and drops an egg on Israel which means we need to be thinking about what our policy will be when there are millions of dead and a large radioactive cloud floating around the globe.</p>
<p>higherhead- I think I like you.</p>
<p>This got very little play in our local paper and it’s a CIVIL WAR, for heaven’s sake. Guess if the Israelis are not doing the shooting it’s not newsworthy.</p>
<p>“Two state solution”–Gaza and West Bank.</p>
<p>"On its first day of full rule in Gaza, the Islamic militant Hamas on Friday granted amnesty to
Fatah leaders, signaling that it seeks conciliation with the defeated forces of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.</p>
<p>Many had feared more bloodshed, particularly after victorious Hamas gunmen executed several Fatah fighters in the streets gangland-style on Thursday, in the final phase of the decisive five-day battle over Gaza.</p>
<p>Gazans awoke to the new reality of Hamas control Friday, fraught with uncertainty and fear that they’ll become even poorer and more isolated. Gaza’s crossings with Egypt and
Israel — lifelines for the fenced-in territory — have been closed this week, and it was not clear if they would reopen. Extended closure could quickly lead to a humanitarian crisis."</p>
<p>As a Jew and a realist, I can’t stand watching the Middle East fight like this. Peace disappears by the day. שָׁלוֹם. Peace out.</p>
<p>I’ve been watching this with growing alarm. There’s now no question of Iran’s plans. Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, Iraq. Scares the heck out of me.</p>
<p>Abba Eban, after the Geneva peace talks in December 1973: “Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.”</p>
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<p>The vultures and the rats.</p>
<p>I am shocked by how little concern people show for internecine violence. </p>
<p>So, when Arabs kill Arabs, it’s no cause for alarm? The only cause for alarm is if it is a “colonial, imperialistic, occupying power” doing the killing?</p>
<p>There is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. There is a humanitarian crisis in Darfur? Why does the world sit in silence?</p>
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<p>I suggest that you are assuming your conclusion. Can you provide some evidence for it?</p>
<p>As for alarm, I read lots of alarm about the activities of Moslem fanatics. I don’t understand who wouldn’t be alarmed since 2001. Gaza is the latest example of radical Moslem intolerance.</p>
<p>“There is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. There is a humanitarian crisis in Darfur? Why does the world sit in silence?”</p>
<p>I’m curious as to why we haven’t seen reports of civilian casualties yet.</p>
<p>I did see a couple of reports through Google news of Hamas killers going door-to-door with lists of Fatah officials, and conducting summary executions. Also, there are reports of Hamas gunmen “shutting down” neighborhoods, and shooting anyone outdoors.</p>
<p>WashDad, I hadn’t seen that yet. I’m very concerned.</p>
<p>Somehow, they’ll all find a way to blame the Jews.</p>
<p>Everything I read makes it sound like there is a good deal of civilian casualty as well…</p>
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<p><a href=“Latest news from around the world | The Guardian”>Latest news from around the world | The Guardian;
<p>'A resident of a Hamas-dominated neighborhood, identifying himself only as Yousef for fear of reprisal by his neighbors, said Gazans would always back the winner, regardless of ideology.</p>
<p>“Today everybody is with Hamas because Hamas won the battle. If Fatah had won the battle they’d be with Fatah. We are a hungry people, we are with whoever gives us a bag of flour and a food coupon,” said Yousef, 30. “Me, I’m with God and a bag of flour.”’
Associated Press 6/15/2007</p>
<p>More than 90 people were killed in five days of fighting, and dozens wounded.</p>
<p>This is incredibly sad. Injustice, hatred, intolerance.</p>
<p>I think there’s plenty of alarm over this: the humanitarian aspects, the loss of innocent life, and the political implications. I don’t think tons of “civillians” have been shot, though. The humanitarian problem is more with the effects of international isolation of Hamas, and the fact that Gaza cannot even remotely be economically self-sustaining.</p>
<p>It’s not fanatical Muslim intolerance, either. It’s more a gang war, one that Hamas basically won long ago, but for whatever reason decided to mop up now. And let’s not forget WHY Hamas won the gang war: it did a much better job providing social services and representing its constituency than the (formerly) much richer Fatah did. Fatah was/is awfully corrupt, and never especially concerned with building popular support in Gaza.</p>
<p>For better or worse – worse, I think, but no one should care about what I think – Hamas supplanted Fatah long ago as the source of leadership in Gaza.</p>
<p>I have no idea what I think the Israelis should do. I know what they will do: work harder to isolate Hamas, starve the people, and step up military attacks into Gaza. They certainly can’t do anything which rewards Hamas for its violent power play. But eventually, they are going to have to figure out how to deal with Hamas.</p>
<p>One of the tragic aspects of this is that it’s clear that neither Hamas nor, certainly, Fatah is anywhere near strong enough to even think about making a peace deal. Fatah looks like a lost cause right now, but Israel certainly can’t do anything to strengthen Hamas. But there won’t even be a prayer of peace until there is secure and democratic Palestinian leadership, and right now there’s a lot more chance that will eventually be Hamas than Fatah (or anyone else).</p>
<p>"It’s not fanatical Muslim intolerance, either. It’s more a gang war, one that Hamas basically won long ago, but for whatever reason decided to mop up now. "</p>
<p>Maybe the reason belongs to the Iranians.</p>
<p>Sadly, the Palestinians seem to be unable to have a sustainable unified leadership, because they are still operating as tribal units. It doesn’t appear that Hamas will be able to govern either, since tying people’s ankles and throwing them off buildings, or door to door killings doesn’t really fit with the idea of “rule of law”.</p>
<p>Israel will probably get involved, in the wrong way, but there isn’t really a “right” way. More curious will be to see whether or not Israel cuts off electricity and water, or severely curtails these essential services. As they are no longer an occupying power, they are no longer responsible for providing these necessities. Will Egypt step up to the plate, and provide humanitarian assistance? Or will Israel continue to do so? What will happen with the border crossings? </p>
<p>I suspect things are going to get very bad.</p>
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You should at least acknowledge that they will do this in response to the inevitable increase in rocket attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians</p>