Get out your violins

The MSM is ramping up its “poor, poor, pitiful pals” stories.

He’s overdrawn at the bank, owes $400 to the grocery, can no longer afford baby formula for his youngest and is trying to sell his 16-year-old car for half its value to raise cash for food.

After two months without his government salary, Abdel Hakim Abu Samra, 47, is fast running out of options. “It’s the worst time we’ve had,” he said, comparing the deepening crisis since Hamas rose to power in March to previous periods, including two bloody uprisings against Israel.

And there’s no end in sight. The West won’t lift crippling economic sanctions and Hamas refuses to moderate its violent anti-Israel ideology, even though its government is broke and unable to pay 165,000 employees.

There’s also internal fighting, some say even the threat of civil war. Gunmen from Hamas and the defeated Fatah Party have exchanged fire repeatedly as their leaders wrangle for power.

Gasp! No! Internal fighting! Say it isn’t so! But hey, what is missing from this paragraph?

Landlords won’t evict delinquent tenants, utilities keep services going despite overdue bills. Neighbors share meals and some of the wealthy grant loans. But the stores are empty and streets deserted.

Points to anyone who knows that the utilities are supplied by Israeli companies, who are not turning them off despite not being paid.

And note what manages to make it into this paragraph, and what is missing.

The U.N. Relief and Works Agency, which distributes oil, sugar, rice, flour and other staples to 765,000 refugees in Gaza and the West Bank every month, has seen a fivefold increase in demand. It can’t meet the surge because of budget shortfalls, said Adnan Abu Hassna, an UNRWA spokesman. Israeli closures of border crossings make it harder for food to come in, he said.

Right. Blame Israel, but don’t point out that the crossings are closed due to terrorist attacks, and the threats of terrorist attacks. No context. Just blame Israel.

So. What is the belt-tightening lesson teaching them?

For now, most Palestinians blame the U.S., Europe and Israel, not Hamas, for their woes. Abdelkarim, the West Bank economist, said the mood could turn if the crisis drags on.

The West is seen as hypocritical for pushing democracy, but refusing to accept the outcome of the parliament election that swept Hamas into power. Many Palestinians say they cast a protest vote against the corruption of Fatah, the former ruling party, but didn’t endorse Hamas ideology. They’d like Hamas to become more moderate, but fume over what they perceive to be Western arrogance.

Of course. Don’t ever blame your own actions, like, say, electing a terrorist group to run your territory and then act all surprised when people refuse to deal with terrorists. No, it is always someone else’s fault. I was watching Hamas spokesmen tell Frontline that if the Hamas government fails, it will be the fault of the West. They sound like nothing more than a people in eternal childhood.

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3 Responses to Get out your violins

  1. Paul M says:

    Why, for pity’s sake, isn’t Israel ramming home this message in every speech and press release: That it is Hamas that is solely to blame for the cutting off of aid to the Palestinians? That Hamas – supposedly elected for its ability to deliver services, not its hatred of Israel – will let the people who voted it in starve rather than do the one, unavoidable thing that will put food in their mouths?

    Why isn’t America (no point asking about Europe) repeating over and over again that Hamas’ unwillingness to recognize Israel is the only thing standing between the Palestinian people and the aid they are desperate for? That the devastation of Palestinian society is Hamas’ choice?

    Hamas is squarely to blame for the current state of the Palestinians, but Israeli and US ineptitude have allowed the spotlight to rest on Western actions rather than keeping it where it belongs.

  2. Because Israelis simply don’t comprehend PR.

    They need to hire a great Park Avenue firm, is what they need.

  3. Michael Lonie says:

    It should be simple enough that even Palestinian Arab can understand it. You guys elected a bunch of raving nutjob terrorists as your government. Admittedly you had a choice only between raving and nonraving terrorists, but Hamas is in there by your will. You did not get off your butts and provide a third alternative, but happily elected a bunch of murderers. That is the will of the People, and we respect it at its true worth. Now our response is “No shirt, no shoes, no service.” We don’t owe you anything, we gave you money out of benevolence. Our benevolence is used up by your election of terrorist ratbags. Come back when you want to get a life.

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