Israeli officials are facing backlash after years of Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu quietly allowing Hamas to remain in power.

But reporting in the New York Times has revealed that Netanyahu’s government was more hands-on about helping Hamas: they helped a Qatari diplomat bring suitcases of cash into Gaza, indirectly boosting the militant organization, according to the report.

The calculus — the Times reported on Sunday, citing Israeli officials, Netanyahu’s critics, and the man’s own reported statements — was to keep Hamas strong enough to counteract the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, allowing Netanyahu to avoid a two-state peace solution and keep both sides weak.

Israeli security officials got it wrong; they didn’t think Hamas was capable, or even interested, in launching a large attack against the Jewish state.

  • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    It’s important to make the distinction between the Israeli religious authority funneling money to Hamas to create a political antagonist to the PLO/PA in the '90-'00s, and the object of this article.

    Then there’s money coming from all over the world as support to Palestine. They need this money to buy food/commodities from the rest of the world. Israel has always overseen this flow of money, just like they and Egypt keep watch over which goods enter and leave.

    This money was always passed to the PA as executive government of Palestine. But since 2006, Hamas took control of Gaza. So the aid money goes to Hamas. And because Hamas can’t have a bank account, it’s brought in cash.

    How would the world have reacted if Israel had blocked aid money from entering Gaza since 2006? How many Gazans would have died?

    • HelixDab2@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Right, but Gaza needs aid because Israel has blockaded Gaza for decades (which Israel has claimed was an act of war when Egypt blockaded Israel). If Israel lifted the blockade, then they wouldn’t need to worry about funneling aid to Gaza.

      • TserriednichThe4th@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yeah they would just need to worry about more weapons that could kill israelis lol. There is a reason the blockade is there

        • HelixDab2@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          They blockade Gaza to keep weapons out so Gaza smuggles weapons in to break the blockade…

          Huh.

          Sounds like they’re creating their own problem.

          • TserriednichThe4th@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            The cause of the blockade premeditates the smuggling so no.

            If you a lock a terrorist and other terrorists fight you over it, the terrorists are still at fault.

            Dont let the anti semitism stop your brain from working.

            • HelixDab2@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              The cause of the blockage was terrorism (or “freedom fighters”, depending on your POV) that was caused by Israel failing to negotiate in good faith on a two state solution, and actively repressing Palestinian organizations that were garnering international support.

              Again: Israel is causing most of their own problems; it’s like they’ve never heard of blowback.

              BTW - if you think opposition to Israeli politics is the same thing as antisemitism, well, you aren’t arguing in good faith. That would be like saying that opposition to US foreign policy is because you hate Jesus.

              • TserriednichThe4th@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                I already explained elsewhere why it is antisemitic. You can read that, or you can admit that you dont care and talk in bad faith.

                And only one government there wants the other side wiped out. Hint: it is the one chanting from river to sea.

                Thank god none of you idiots have power. Keep crying as hamas terrorists keep getting wiped off the map.

                • blitzkrieg@lemm.ee
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                  1 year ago

                  Do you realize that an Israeli minister said that nuking Gaza is an option?

            • Fedizen@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              I think its fair to say the blockade didnt work to keep things out of gaza. So other than being a type of effective security theater it seems to have been bad policy on its own terms

        • Tinidril@midwest.social
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          1 year ago

          Great job they did keeping weapons out. Now combine this with all the intelligence they ignored that an attack was coming and try to take it seriously.