Ismail Haniyeh's Responsibility

my comments reprinted from the start of the recent war

No More Violence Against Jews, Arabs, or Others!

 

 

What do I think is the responsibility of Ismail Haniyeh in the current escalation?  I think he played a major, deliberate role.  At the beginning of Passover, a Jewish settler was shot and killed in the West Bank, on his way to a seder with his family.  Two other family members were wounded in a second car.  Haniyeh complimented the shooters and said he hoped this deed would help revive the Palestinian resistance. 

 

I personally think the shooting of that settler, Baruch Mizrachi, was a reprehensible act, a murder, and that Haniyeh's statement was reprehensible, and dangerous, as well.  Benyamin Netanyahu seemed to me unable to give up building settlements, but Ismail Haniyeh seemed unable to give up armed struggle.  Many people spoke up strongly to oppose Haniyeh's remark and squelch its impact.  The quotes most memorable to me were those of Mahmud Abbas, who was indignant and accusatory, and the statement by B'Tselem which was sharp and exacting. 

 

Mahmud Abbas essentially just said to him, What are you doing?!  Trying to destroy the Palestinians?! 

 

The spokeswoman from B'tselem spelled out exactly what was wrong with Haniyeh's thinking, morally and legally.  The key concept was protection of civilians.   I was glad that she was quoted widely, and glad for all the opposition to Haniyeh's words, but it was not enough.  He was ordering up the next crime or crimes of the type perpetrated against the Mizrachi family.