Sometimes, the mainstream hits the nail right on the head. Today the New York Times wrote about Ghazi Hamad, the spokesman for the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority, who clearly deplores the collapse of Gazan life into chaos and has said that much of the blame belongs to Palestinians themselves.
"Gaza is suffering under the yoke of anarchy and the swords of thugs," Hamad wrote in an article published Sunday in Al Ayyam, the Palestinian newspaper. After so much optimism when Israelis pulled out of Gaza a year ago, he wrote, "life became a nightmare and an intolerable burden."
He also questioned the utility of firing rockets into Israel that cause few casualties but result in many Palestinian deaths when the Israelis retaliate. He seemed to be arguing for other armed groups to follow the Hamas decision to halt rocket fire into Israel.
Hamad is urging Palestinians to look to themselves, not to Israel, for the causes. Of course, Hamas is not to blame, it's all because of armed groups affiliated with Fatah, but it's an encouraging sign nonetheless from people that all too often fail to look in the mirror. Some Palestinians will agree or disagree with him, he wrote, "but running away from self-confrontation will only cause us more pain."
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