Skip to main content

Israel Targets Hamas Philanthropy - by Peter Hirschberg

Israel Targets Hamas Philanthropy - by Peter Hirschberg: "JERUSALEM - Shopping malls. Schools. Medical centers. Charities. Orphanages. Soup kitchens. These are the latest targets in the campaign the Israeli military is waging against Hamas in the West Bank.

Israeli military officials have identified Hamas' civilian infrastructure in the West Bank as a major source of the Islamic group's popularity, and have begun raiding and shutting down these institutions in cities like Hebron, Nablus, and Qalqilyah.

Last week, troops focused their efforts in Nablus, raiding the city hall and confiscating computers. They also stormed into a shopping mall and posted closure notices on the shop windows. A girls' school and a medical center were shut down in the city, and a charitable association had its computers impounded and documents seized.

This policy, officials say, is meant to deny the Islamic group, which is committed to Israel's destruction, the ability to use these institutions as a pipeline by which money is channeled to finance attacks on the Jewish state. But the main goal of this campaign is to stem Hamas' growing popularity in the West Bank, and ensure it does not seize control of the area as it did in Gaza a year ago, when its forces vanquished the more moderate Fatah movement headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Bush Crime Family Crony Robert Gates a Shoo-In

Monday December 04th 2006, 8:16 pm “Robert Gates, the former CIA director and Texas A&M University president, is expected to easily win nomination as President Bush’s next defense secretary following a hearing today that is likely to focus on strategies in Iraq,” reports Express-News. Easy nomination, no matter the guy is a criminal, not to mention a blood-thirsty warmongering psychopath. Gates was at the core of the so-called Iran-Contra affair, but then it is business as usual in Washington, as the Bush administration is packed like a sardine tin with Iran-Contra criminals. Lawrence E. Walsh, the independent counsel in the Iran-Contra investigation, knew Gates was lying about his collaboration with fellow criminal, now respected Fox News talking head, Oliver North, the guy who wanted to suspend the Constitution and throw demonstrators in gulags under Rex-84. In 1984, as understudy and protégé of then CIA director-ghoul, William Casey, Gates wanted to bomb the dickens out of Nica

Legendary singer Tilahun Gessesse dies at age 68

Legendary singer Tilahun Gessesse dies at age 68 ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia's legendary singer Tilahun Gessesse died at age 68 in his family home in the Ethiopian capital, family sources said. Perhaps the greatest modern musician whose star shone brightly during the golden years of Ethiopian music of the '60s, the 68-year-old iconic figure died Sunday on his way to hospital. A day earlier, Tilahun flew from New York City to Addis Ababa to spend Easter with his family. Reacting to the sudden death of Tilahun Gessesse, the Washington-based Radio Host Abebe Belew, also a close friend of Tilahun, said he was deeply shocked. "He was sporting a heatlhy look and was in good spirits when left for Ethiopia Saturday. On Sunday in Addis, we heard Tilahun was sick with "some burning" and was being rushed to a hospital when in the midst of all the chaos came in the news of his sudden death," Abebe said. "I wonder if there could be another Ethiopian who would live up to