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Hamas leaves Israel with no choice: AJC

Politics Materials 7 January 2009 14:32 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 7 / Trend , U. Sadigova/

Hamas' rocket and mortar fire left Israel with no choice but to deploy troops in the Gaza Strip and destroy terrorist infrastructure in the country.

"Like any nation, Israel's first obligation is to protect its citizens. Since Hamas deliberately places that infrastructure in civilian centers, it makes the task of the Israeli army still more difficult," Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) David Harris wrote Trend in an email.

Over 660 Palestinians were killed and roughly 3,000 wounded as a result of the Israeli attack on Gaza, Palestinian physicians told the BBC.

Israeli officials said Operation Cast Lead aims to eliminate Hamas members. However, residential areas have also been destroyed in Gaza during the conflict.

Israel withdrew totally from Gaza in 2005, more than three years ago, to promote a truce with the Palestinians. Gaza was given the first chance in its history to govern itself and move toward statehood. But anti-Israeli activities recommenced in the region when Hamas came to power, he said.

Hamas built tunnels across the border with Egypt and smuggled advanced weapons, many from Iran. It violently ousted the Palestinian Authority from its role there. It repeatedly attacked Israel. Thus, Israel was left with no choice and launched a military operation, he said.

"Hamas, recognized as a terrorist group by many countries, including the United States and European Union, was more interested in destroying Israel than developing Gaza, said Harris.

He believes under these circumstances Israel could not negotiate with HAMAS who do not even recognize Israel's right to exist, hoping that others in the international community would find a diplomatic solution, but no solution was found

In November 2007, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert held extensive negotiations in the U.S. They vowed to continue their dialogue, reach a peace agreement by the end of 2008 and create an independent Palestine.

Upon heading the Palestinian parliament in 2007, Hamas rejected the resolutions made at the U.S. talks and refused to further negotiate with Israel.

With Egypt's mediation, Hamas and Israel signed a 6-month ceasefire agreement in summer 2008. After the document expired in December, Hamas resumed shelling southern Israel in response to Israeli authorities blockading Gaza.

"In this regard, Egypt has tried to play a helpful role under difficult circumstances. Clearly, Egypt, like Israel, has a stake in preventing Hamas from emerging stronger," he said.

Harris believes Hamas, which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, poses a significant threat to Egypt's political and social stability. "Indeed, Egypt, like other moderate Arab countries, has increasingly understood that the real conflict in the Middle East today is not between Israel and the Arab world," said Harris.

Harris believes that Israel does not intend to kill the civilian population and will strive for peace. Peace for Israel is a strategic necessity.

"In leaving Gaza in 2005, it thought it was taking another important step toward that vision peace, following earlier steps, such as the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan and the unilateral withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000," Harris said.

Harris believes Israel will stop its operation when it is convinced that the terrorist infrastructure has been dealt a severe blow, and the international community is able to find ways to help prevent a resumption of Hamas's ability to smuggle lethal weapons and use them against Israel at will.

"And may the peaceseekers never stop their efforts, no matter how difficult the path!" he urged.

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