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.

    • ???@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      You were responding to someone saying Israel are the worst. Worst, being the superlative of bad and all.

        • ???@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Hmmm, you’re right, I guess it would be more correct like this: “Israel can’t be more bad than the average genocider…”

          • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
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            11 months ago

            It would be more correct of a statement by you

            But the person I replied to could have just called them bad…or explained why they are worse than every other genocidal group

                • ???@lemmy.world
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                  11 months ago

                  Everyone can already see why they are worse than every other nation at war so far. They’ve even exceeded the damage from the Dresden carpet bombings

                  • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
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                    11 months ago

                    Has it exceeded Rwanda?

                    I see 18 412 today which is lower than Myanmar

                    (Dresden was 25k)