This is entirely unsurprising. Ellison has vast links to the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR, which themselves have links to Hamas. He is also a hardcore Democrats, prone to Blaming Israel for the world’s, or at least the region’s, ills.
End the Gaza blockade to achieve peace
It seems as though each day brings new horrors and heartbreaks in the Holy Land. More than 1,000 dead. Gazan children blown up on the beach. A U.N. shelter hit. Two-thirds of Israelis living in fear from indiscriminate rocket fire launched by Hamas. But as the calls for a cease-fire gain momentum, it is important to understand that many Gazans who have no association with Hamas view the return to the way things were as unacceptable.
These people aren’t rocket shooters or combatants. For the past several years they have lived in dreadful isolation. The status quo for ordinary Gazans is a continuation of no jobs and no freedom. This is not an attractive future. Gazans want and deserve the dignity of economic opportunity and freedom to move. This can be accomplished only with an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, which must be considered within the framework of a cease-fire. Israelis likewise deserve to live free of rocket fire and terror attacks. In order for Israelis to live safely and securely in their homes, Hamas must give up its rockets and other weapons.
He discusses visiting Gaza three times since 2009, and never having met a member of Hamas. And that most Gazans do not support Hamas. Well, Keith, except for those elections where so many Gazans voted for Hamas.
So how can the international community support those Gazans who don’t support indiscriminate rocket fire? We could take steps to allow for the safe flow of goods and services into Gaza and the export of goods and services to neighboring countries. We could advocate for Gazans to have freedom of movement. Now, if you’re a Gazan traveling in the West Bank, the Israeli military can forcibly return you to Gaza. Being able to import goods such as food, fuel and medicine would mean that Gazans would not be forced to buy necessities from a tunnel economy controlled by extremists. International actors should be involved in the process to address Israel’s security concerns about lifting the blockade.
Wait a minute. This appears to push the notion of taking the blockade out of the hands of Israel (Egypt being part of the blockade barely gets a mention in Ellison’s screed) and putting it in the hands of “international actors”. What’s the difference? Could it be because Ellison, like so many Liberals, hates Israel? Or could it be that some of these international actors would let through the banned goods?
The blockade prevents development in Gaza. Egypt and Israel argue that the blockade is designed to cut off resources from terrorists, but really it has brought those who want a better life to their knees while the bad actors still have their rockets. Before the blockade, the United Nations provided food to 80,000 in Gaza; today it provides food to 830,000 .
Israel and Egypt also view the blockade as a success because it pushed Hamas into a financial crisis. This is short-term thinking. It ignores the fact that the economic devastation from the blockade weakens the public and private sectors in Gaza and strengthens extremists and smuggling enterprises. Repression and deprivation fuel terrorism; economic development and inclusion can fuel long-term peace.
At the end of the day, everything fuels Islamist terrorism. The very existence of Israel drives Islamists into terrorism. Neither Israel nor Egypt want to have a blockade. They would prefer that Gazans live good lives, and that they not attack Israel. Israel left 3,000 greenhouse when they pulled out of Gaza. Hamas tore them down. In fact, much of the blockade had been eased by both the Egyptians and Israelis starting in 2010, until 2013 with the discovery of all the tunnels. Those tunnels go into both Israel and Egypt. Both nations allow most civilian aid to enter Gaza, with only limited restrictions, like on cement, used to build tunnels.
Ultimately, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be resolved with a final status agreement, and ending the violence and the blockade is a first step toward a permanent solution.
This is the exact position of Hamas. This is what they want. This is what they are demanding. Let’s say that Israel and Egypt end the blockade: other than Ellison, does anyone think that the violence will end? Or, will it increase, thanks to Hamas and the other Islamic terrorist groups getting more weapon and military material?
The Palestinians were violent and dirt poor prior to the blockade. The aid that was provided was never used properly. The leadership of the Palestinians enriched themselves and lived the high life. The only way to end the violence is stop Islamists. Ellison can’t seem to find it in himself to condemn Hamas or the other extremists, ones who won’t, by the way, recognize Israel.
I do find it amusing, though, that Ellison simply wants to move the blockade from Israeli/Egyptian hands to those of “international actors”.
You start with a headline falsely accusing the Congressman of siding with Hamas. Next, your opening sentence equates Congressman Ellison with terrorists. So why would we trust anything you have to say?
The Congressman said this:
“Two-thirds of Israelis living in fear from indiscriminate rocket fire launched by Hamas.”
“Israelis likewise deserve to live free of rocket fire and terror attacks.”
“In order for Israelis to live safely and securely in their homes, Hamas must give up its rockets and other weapons.”
The resolution of this nightmare will be 1) Hamas et al not terrorizing innocent Israelis and 2) ending the siege of Gaza and allowing Gazans the right of self-determination with free access to markets and imports and exports.
The Congressman proposed a solution – international involvement (the UN?) to manage the blockade – keeping weapons from entering.
He justifies managing the blockade thus: “…the economic devastation from the blockade weakens the public and private sectors in Gaza and strengthens extremists and smuggling enterprises. Repression and deprivation fuel terrorism; economic development and inclusion can fuel long-term peace.”
And you dismiss him, calling him a terrorist.
Hamas IS a terrorist organization, and should be dealt with as such.
If New Jersey was lobbing rockets incessantly at PA, and digging tunnels under our feet to slit our throats in the dead of night, we would have to respond to them with force. Casualties would ensue, but NJ drivers are horrible, and taking a few of them off the road can’t hurt. (SARCASM) If NJ stopped lobbing rockets at us, we could go back to normal life, and head down to the shore.
If Israel lays down her defenses, we all know what happens next.
If Hamas lays down theirs, there would be peace.
I repeat.
Hamas. Is. A. Terrorist. Group. Still on the State dept’s list as one. Has never been removed.
http://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/other/des/123085.htm
Trish,
No one is denying that Hamas commits terrorist acts by firing missiles into Israel. In fact, 28 innocent Israelis have been killed by Gaza missiles over the past 14 years.
The Congressman said:
“Two-thirds of Israelis are living in fear from indiscriminate rocket fire launched by Hamas.â€
“Israelis likewise deserve to live free of rocket fire and terror attacks.â€
“In order for Israelis to live safely and securely in their homes, Hamas must give up its rockets and other weapons.â€
But Congressman Ellison didn’t side with Hamas, nor is he affiliated with Hamas.
Ellison wants the blockade to end.
Hamas wants the blockade to end.
I don’t see how you can say that is not Ellison siding with Hamas.
Ever looked at the items in the blockade? They are the same items that you can not bring into the US.
Ellison happens to agree with the Palestinians (mostly non-Hamas) that the blockade needs to be loosened. Many Americans think the blockade is unfair and counterproductive.
Ellison doesn’t side with Hamas on firing missiles into Israel. He’s against it. He doesn’t side with Hamas on keeping weapons. He’s against it.
He says: “Gazans want and deserve the dignity of economic opportunity and freedom to move. This can be accomplished only with an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, which must be considered within the framework of a cease-fire. Israelis likewise deserve to live free of rocket fire and terror attacks. In order for Israelis to live safely and securely in their homes, Hamas must give up its rockets and other weapons.”
That’s a bit more nuanced than just concluding he “sides with Hamas”. Does Hamas want to be disarmed?
Saying that Ellison sides with Hamas is like saying you side with Hitler because you both like strudel, or buxom blondes. And that’s exactly the way Teach meant it – as a smear of the Congressman.
Those would be the Palestinians that voted Hamas into power in Gaza?
Keep trying to wiggle out of it Jeffery, but you can’t.
Hamas wants to end the blockade.
Ellison wants to end the blockade.
The headline which you said was false is dead spot on.,……
…. and you now admit that it is.
Last try…
Hamas wants an unconditional removal of the blockade, wants to destroy Israel, wants to rule the Palestinians with a totalitarian iron fist, and are religious fundamentalists.
Congressman Ellison wants a conditional, controlled adjustment of the blockade. One of the conditions is disarming Hamas. If Hamas doesn’t disarm, the blockade doesn’t end. That’s how conditions work.
See? Nuance.
Good night, Gracie.
g2 typed: “Those would be the Palestinians that voted Hamas into power in Gaza?”
Do you really think that Israel is only killing those that voted for Hamas? Did those dead children vote for Hamas?
Good night. Sleep with your ignorance.
Ellison wrote:
That is what Hamas wants.
It seems that you are trying to argue Ellison’s position. That is not the issue although I can understand why you would want it to be. The issue was you claimed that the headline of the original post was false when it is not.
Have we not sat here and endured people like you and john saying “elections have consequences?”
When people elect those who will do them harm in the long run, those are the consequences to those elections.
Put it another way, are you saying that we should be able to ignore the idiotic and illegal actions of President Obama because some of us didn’t vote for him?
Once again, your lack of logic and critical thinking is appalling.
[…] William Teach of The Pirate’s Cove: Rep. Keith (bin) Ellison Takes Side Of Hamas, Wants Blockade Ended […]