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April 06
Edition

Pages in PDF

Regular
Features

› The Fat Lady
  Sings
  with JoAnn
   Pacholli

› Front Page
  Article

› In Tents Thawt
  with Mick Pacholli

› Sid's Comments
  with Sidney
  Somerville-Smith

› The Lie Detector
  with Mitchell
   Faircloth

› Fab's Ravings

› Technology
  with Chris Jacobs

› People's Views

› Are You
  Puzzled?
  with
  Narelle Stegehuis

› Family Issues
  with
  Marilyn Brideson

› Gallery Gazing

› Planet Clare

› Lovatts
  Crossword

› Social Scene
  with Ken James

› Live Theatre
  with Blair Edgar

› Movie Scene
  with
  Charlie Alexander

› Entertainment
  with Gary Turner

› Grazing in the
  Suburbs
  with Mick Pacholli

› Fab's Travel

› Talking Manure
  with Mick Pacholli

› Furry Friends
  with
  Dr Graeme Smith

› Racing
  with Ted Ryan

› Rant & Rave
  with
  Paddles Hackett

› Bowls
  with Mick Pacholli

› Motoring
  with Garry Fabian

› Short Cuts
  Writers
  Competition

› Competitions

People's Views

Editor,

In reply to last month's (March 2006) article:-

Mick Pacholli may be the son of a gun, but his comments on Hamas and the Israelis are wide of the mark.

Both Israel and the West accept that Hamas won a free and fair election and have the right to govern the Palestinian people. This does not, however, mean that anyone has to fund or deal with Hamas if they find Hamas policies objectionable.

Hamas is a terrorist group notorious for indiscriminately murdering Israeli civilians through suicide and other bombings, shootings and rocket attacks.

It clearly states that it is committed to Israel’s destruction. It claims to have a political wing separate from its military wing, but this is not strictly true. While the military wing carries out the attacks, the political wing gives the orders for them.

Israel has not said it will refuse to deal with Hamas, but has laid down reasonable preconditions for doing so. Hamas must first accept Israel’s right to exist, renounce violence and accept all agreements the previous Palestinian administration has signed with Israel, including the Oslo Accords and the Roadmap. Hamas is currently refusing to honour Palestinian obligations under the Oslo Accords, but expects Israel to continue to observe the Accords, including passing on the money Israel has currently elected to withhold.

Mr Pacholli accuses Israel of “a malicious theft” for doing this, and suggests it’s part of a Machiavellian plan to goad the Palestinians into further attacks.
In reality Israel is reluctant to forward any money to a Hamas run Palestinian Authority because it expects the Palestinian Authority would use the money to purchase weapons to use against Israel.

I doubt Mr Pacholli would be prepared to provide money to someone who wanted to use the money to buy a gun to kill him, even if it was arguably that person’s money. Neither would Israel.

Jamie Hyams, Policy Analyst Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council
 

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