The Rafah tipping point: The culmination of Israel's war on Hamas - Taking on the last Hamas stronghold in Gaza can end the war or create the ultimate humanitarian disaster. Perhaps both simultaneously.

Jerusalem Post ^ | FEBRUARY 11, 2024 | DAVID BRINN

[SJackson]

After more than four months of war triggered by the October 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel, it’s all come down to Rafah.

Since Israel invaded Gaza, more than 200 soldiers have died, the IDF has killed over 8,000 Hamas members, according to their assessment, and another 15,000-20,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed, according to Hamas estimates.

[libertylover]

Does anyone (even the msm) actually believe anything Hamas says?

Sadly, yes and the MSM seems to swallow numbers from Hamas hook, line, and sinker. See Tagline.

[libertylover]

JPost is the voice of Israeli leftists, if I understand correctly.

Appears so from this article.

[Lurker]

“Wasn’t this the logic many Muslims used to celebrate the carnage of 9-11 against the “great Satan”?

Actually it wasn’t. But nice try.

“Using what——their second amendment rights?”

Knives, rocks, hammers, stolen guns, poisoned food, run them over with cars, whatever they can get their hands on. They’re mighty creative when it comes to killing Jews.

And don’t try to tell me they give a **** about their kids. They strap bombs to them and celebrate when they die.

Eff Gazans. They started this.

L

[slapshot]

1 word to IDF. Dresden

[DownInFlames]

… and surrender.

[Right_in_Virginia]

**Wasn’t this the logic many Muslims used to celebrate the carnage of 9-11 against the “great Satan”?**

Actually it wasn’t. But nice try. “Using what——their second amendment rights?”

Knives, rocks, hammers, stolen guns, poisoned food, run them over with cars, whatever they can get their hands on. They’re mighty creative when it comes to killing Jews.

Who's mighty creative when it comes to killing Jews? The ones living a life hoping for clean water, sanitation, food, a job, medical care, a tomorrow --- or the ones supported and propped-up by payments estimated to be in the billions paid through Qatar and authorized by Benjamin Netanyahu?

And don’t try to tell me they give a **** about their kids. They strap bombs to them and celebrate when they die.

[dfwgator]

They blow up so fast.

[USS Alaska]

There are no civilians there. They support Hamas almost universally.

The only solution is the final solution. Kill them all, sex {or gender selection if you prefer}, age or infirmity are no protection.

[gitmo]

Thank you for that explanation. It is often overlooked when dealing with the Jewish people.

[Lurker]

“ Who’s mighty creative when it comes to killing Jews?”

islamist savages the world over. That’s who.

“ The ones living a life hoping for clean water, sanitation, food, a job, medical care?”

Hamas was duly elected by over 80% of the vote. It was “free and fair” according to all the international observers. Surveys taken AFTER 10/7 show almost 90% support for the massacre.

So you’re talking about maybe a dozen or so Gazans. And they’re free to surrender any time.

And those pictures? Paliwood propaganda.

L

[Right_in_Virginia]

Hamas was duly elected by over 80% of the vote. It was “free and fair” according to all the international observers.

Palestinians’ flawed 2006 elections empowered Hamas — and destroyed democracy

The Washington Post, Oct 30, 2023, Steven Hill

"The fractured Palestinian elections in 2006 led to a bitter and tragic schism between two factions, Hamas and Fatah.

When Israel says it has no one with whom to negotiate a two-state solution, there is a degree of truth to that. Hamas is committed to Israel’s destruction, and the Palestinian Authority has become powerless and barely relevant. This is in part because of the decision by Israeli authorities to sideline and marginalize the Palestinian Authority.

But not completely.

The crucial elections in January 2006 were a classic example of using the wrong election methods, which led to disastrous results.

In that election, a hybrid approach was used. Half of the Palestinian legislature’s 132 seats were to be selected by a “winner take all” method and half by a “proportional voting” method. Hamas won 44.5 percent of the popular vote, and the Palestine Liberation Organization-backed Fatah won 41.4 percent. So it was a close election.

The proportional half of the vote yielded a fair outcome. Hamas won its share, 29 of 66 seats (roughly 45 percent), as did Fatah with 28 seats (roughly 42 percent). If those were the only election results, they would have produced a broadly representative legislature.

But the winner-take-all side of the election broke down badly. There were a dozen political parties, and split votes and spoilers ruled the day. Even though Hamas garnered an average of only 41 percent of the popular vote in the winner-take-all half, it won 68 percent of those seats while Fatah won only 26 percent.

If a proportional voting method had been used for all seats, Hamas would not have won a majority and would have needed to form a post-election coalition. Indeed, one analysis found that if proportional voting had been used for the entire legislature, Fatah and like-minded parties and independent partners would have been able to form a majority coalition government.

Either way, results with a better votes-to-seats ratio would have provided incentives for bridge-building and possibly even a grand coalition between Hamas and Fatah. This would have established a foundation for a more stable transition to a democratic system — and possibly inaugurated a steadier leadership for negotiations with the Israelis.

Instead, parliamentary democracy ended. Subsequent elections have been repeatedly canceled amid the fratricidal tensions and bouts of conflict among Palestinian factions, as with the Israelis."

More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/10/30/hamas-flawed-elections-popularity/

[Right_in_Virginia]

And those pictures? Paliwood propaganda.

There are hundreds of photos, multiple dozens of videos available. Don't be afraid to look at them and judge for yourself.

[Lurker]

I have already done both.

Screw the Gazans. I hope they all die.

L

[StAnDeliver]

SJackson had it right. JPost doesn't bow down to 2-state or any other Mooselimb dipshittery. That said, it's the same obesiance to the chosen who gave us both Capitalism and Das Kapital. May Yahweh perpetually bless and keep 'em!