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April 11, 2010
Benny Morris on Hamas imposition of Sharia in Gaza
Benny Morris has a very interesting review of Russia and the Arabs, a new book by Soviet-era foreign minister, diplomat, and "KGB operative," Yevgeny Primakov. Morris not only offers numerous corrections to Primakov's overly rosy account of the Soviet role in the Middle East, but also his "naivete (or dissimulation)" on such topics as Hamas propensities to impose Sharia:
Hamas may not have announced the imposition of sharia law, but it has gradually and relentlessly imposed it in the area that it has controlled since 2007, the Gaza Strip, without fanfare, without proclamations. Women are forced to wear headscarves; separate male and female venues are enforced (in private weddings, at beaches, and so on); no cinemas operate; and Christians and their sites (a library, a bookshop, a school) are intimidated and forced out or closed down. Sometimes it is the Hamas police that are the explicit agents of coercion; and sometimes Hamas allows "extremist" (to use Primakov's phrase) gangs to do the dirty work. But the work gets done--and so Gaza increasingly resembles Iran . . .See the rest of the review for other realities that should be pointed out more often.
Crossposted on Judeopundit
Posted by Judeopundit at April 11, 2010 4:33 AM
Hezbollah in passive voice
A cynical and mistrusted offer
Wapo: peace process succeeding because of the great work of the administration
Council speak 100610
Nyt: peace process failing despite the great work of the administration
Do we have enough regulations yet?
Iranian General: "US, Mossad played roles in 9/11 event"
Absolving arafat, ten years later
Rahm can't run? antisemites!
The politics of peace
The elephant in the room every one ignores. If you read Zbigniew Brezinzski and Stephen Solarz's piece in the Washington Post today, I believe Daled Amos, who also cross-posts to Soccer Dad, will also point out that it leaves out Hamas. I don't believe and Daled can correct me if I'm wrong, that its not mentioned any where in the article. I don't see how peace is possible with only half of the Palestinians and here two American advisers brush aside the problem like it doesn't exist. That is some acknowledgment of present day reality and it doesn't do a lot of good for this Administration's credibility on the Middle East.
Posted by: NormanF at April 11, 2010 7:30 AM