Mubarak: Hamas invited Israeli offensive

Finally we can see Arab countries standing up and saying as it is, instead of continuing the knee-jerk anti-Israeli propaganda slogans inherited from the Nasser era. If you are too young to remember that, Gamal Abdel Nasser was someone who embraced the old ideology, that of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, who had aspirations for re-establishing a pan-Arab united empire, encouraging the emergence of "Nasserist" political parties in other countries dedicated to Arab unity. The easiest way to work towards a desirable sense of unity was to rally the Arab world against "a common enemy". What could have been better for that than the newly formed Israel?

As a result the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was born on Egyptian soil in 1964, and in spite of the fact that the PLO eventually came around and was ready to accept the two state solution, the original anti-Israel and anti-Jewish attitudes and propaganda opened a Pandora's box of venom which, mixed with the remnants of Western anti-Semitism, created the present mixed, often violent attitudes against Israel.

Since long I have been trying to do my own little share in trying to dispel some of these deeply embedded memes. I made sure not to form opinions without seeing things for myself. I have been in Israel, I have been in the West Bank, though not in Gaza which was not a problem area at the time. And I find it hard to take when people say it with conviction that "Israel is an apartheid country", when they say with righteous indignation that Israel should do nothing in face of the barrage of rockets to the tune of 10 to 40 a day. What other country could stand it for as long as Israel did (does right now)?

The US economic blockade of Cuba is 46 years old. Yet, there are no rockets flying from there into the US. And if even a single one did, what do you think the reaction would be? The fact that the Gazan rockets do not cause large number of casualties is because Israel is full of bunkers to protect their civilians. With an advanced alarm system they can warn people who then scurry into the nearest shelter, even next to supermarkets and souks. How come there are no similar structures in Gaza when the PLO amassed such an enormous wealth over the decades?

But could you imagine yourself living like this, when you have to run for your life up to 40 times a day? Are you surprised that Israel keeps Gaza under blockade trying to prevent the influx of rockets? Yet, they keep coming, through secret tunnels, via the sea on fishing vessels, sometimes hidden in UN relief shipments. The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a horribly anti-semitic organization, to the core. Its agenda is the eventual total destruction of Israel, openly so. And the neighbouring Arab countries start realizing that this is not good for them, either. Specially so because Hamas is backed by Iran (who have their own agenda of pan-something-or-another) and the Hezbollah (which is literally taking over Lebanon as we speak).

So the eventual change in the attitudes of the Arab countries towards Israel is albeit slow in coming but inevitable. I was happy to see signs of this change in the official recognition by Egypt that Hamas's reckless politics has something to do with Israels blockade and eventual attack. Here is the short article on the topic as it appeared in the Times of Malta:

Monday, 19th January 2009
Mubarak: Hamas invited Israeli offensive

Egypt's President accused Hamas today of inviting Israel's three-week offensive against Gaza by not extending their ceasefire when it expired last month.

"You all know that efforts Egypt had undertaken to extend the ceasefire and our warnings that a refusal by factions to extend it was an open invitation to Israeli aggression," Hosni Mubarak told a summit of Arab leaders in Kuwait.

He said Egypt would continue its efforts to achieve a reconciliation between Palestinians. "Without it (Palestinian unity) no stability will be realised for Gaza and no rebuilding and no end for its embargo," Mubarak said.

Hamas, the Islamist militant group which won 2006 parliamentary elections, has ruled Gaza since ousting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction in 2007. Fatah still holds sway in the occupied West Bank.

The Arab summit in Kuwait, initially meant to focus on the economy, has been overshadowed by Israel's offensive against Gaza, which killed more than 1,300 Palestinians and was suspended on Sunday.

"We will make every possible attempt (but) if the factions do not respond to our efforts, then we tell them God helps those who help themselves," Mubarak said.

Mubarak said that resisting occupation, while legitimate, should also take into account both gains and losses.