Israel drove suitcases stuffed with cash into Gaza to keep Hamas in power: NYT
www.businessinsider.com
Israeli security officials would escort Qatari representatives into Gaza to deliver the cash to Hamas, the New York Times reported.

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.

  • TserriednichThe4th@lemmy.worldEnglish
    13·
    11 months ago

    Destablized hamas from the perspective of more violence is equivalent to stabilizing hamas against a state two solution. Apologies i was unclear.

    Palestinians voted in hamas, not pla

    • intensely_human@lemm.eeEnglish
      11·
      10 months ago

      Palestinians voted in Hamas in 2006, almost 20 years ago. Many of the Palestinians who voted in Hamas are dead of natural causes, and many who are of voting age today did not vote in Hamas. And no 18-year term is valid in any democracy.