Arab TV stations showed constant images from Gaza, which looked like a war zone, with masked gunmen in the abandoned streets and people rushing the wounded way on stretchers. Al-Jazeera broadcast live from its offices in Gaza, where journalists in flak jackets and helmets were trapped as gunfire raged outside.
Back when the Palestinians had elections and Hamas won, many complained about the elections just leading to jihadis taking power. Of course, this was just meant to undermine our war in Iraq but no matter, let's stick to Gaza.
I thought it would be a moment of clarity:
But this does not mean we do not trumpet free elections in Palestinian territory. Think of the street cred we get in the Moslem world by showing that our promotion of democracy is not just code words for putting in puppets. If Moslems want to elect whackos, they are free to do so. But the lesson should also be that then they are on their own to enjoy their chosen representatives.
And as the Palestinians battle each other and muck up their own piece of real estate without an Israeli occupation, I think we have real clarity. And instead of providing legitimacy to Hamas, the elections have exposed the hollow claims that all would be well if only the Israelis would leave.
These are Israel's peace partners. They kill Jews and Palestinians with equal energy. Even the Arab world is noticing:
"It is hard to see Saudis or anyone else expending political capital and sticking their neck out for the Palestinians while gunmen controlled by Hamas and Fatah turn Gaza into a homegrown killing field," Lebanon's Daily Star newspaper said in an editorial.
Yes indeed, those elections were a good idea. Responsibility for your own actions is a useful lesson for the Palestinians to learn.
And it is nice to see somebody working on the problem of dealing with Palestinians first before tackling that whole Jewish "catastrophe" thing. They really do need to solve that Palestinian problem first!
