Israel: Hamas' political interests overlook people's needs
Bassem Eid, a senior Palestinian human rights activist and political commentator, writes on the website of i24 News, ‘The majority of Palestinians oppose firing rockets into Israel. The Palestinians have understood that these rockets will achieve nothing. Palestinians have called on Hamas to stop firing on Israel and to try to negotiate with the Israeli occupation. But Hamas has never considered Palestinian needs - only its own political interests. Since Israel began its attack in Gaza on July 8 following an increase in cross-border rocket strikes by Hamas nearly 1,900 Palestinians have died. Hamas continued firing rockets at Israel knowing full well what the result would be. Hamas paved the road for the death of our people. We knew Hamas was digging the tunnels that would lead to our destruction. Hamas was never interested in ‘liberating the Palestinian people from the occupation and Israel could never destroy the infrastructure set up by Hamas. Only we, the Palestinian people, could dismantle it.’ See also:
Israel: Hamas' political interests overlook people's needs
Bassem Eid, a senior Palestinian human rights activist and political commentator, writes on the website of i24 News, ‘The majority of Palestinians oppose firing rockets into Israel. The Palestinians have understood that these rockets will achieve nothing. Palestinians have called on Hamas to stop firing on Israel and to try to negotiate with the Israeli occupation. But Hamas has never considered Palestinian needs - only its own political interests. Since Israel began its attack in Gaza on July 8 following an increase in cross-border rocket strikes by Hamas nearly 1,900 Palestinians have died. Hamas continued firing rockets at Israel knowing full well what the result would be. Hamas paved the road for the death of our people. We knew Hamas was digging the tunnels that would lead to our destruction. Hamas was never interested in ‘liberating the Palestinian people from the occupation and Israel could never destroy the infrastructure set up by Hamas. Only we, the Palestinian people, could dismantle it.’ See also:
Iraq: How do the Kurds fit in?
The total number of Kurdish Christians is probably in the tens of thousands. There are large numbers in the Syrian Catholic, Orthodox, Assyrian, Armenian Catholic, and Chaldean Catholic churches. Thousands of Christian families have fled violence and threats in other parts of Iraq and found refuge in the Kurdistan Region. Since the ISIS campaign Kurdish forces (Peshmerga) have been the most effective at battling them. (Iraq’s security forces discarded their weapons, uniforms and command posts then fled ISIS advances). The Peshmerga helped regain control of key cities and have put up a strong fight. The Kurds are outgunned by ISIS militants, who possess heavy artillery and armoured vehicles amassed by purchasing weapons with extortion-racket money, seizing from Iraqi forces fleeing their posts, and collected during years of fighting in Syria. The CIA is now shipping weapons directly to the Peshmerga fighters. Australia, France and Britain are providing aid but not military action.
Iraq: Who are the Yazidis?
The name Yazidis means ‘worshippers of god’, which is how Yazidis describe themselves. They call themselves Daasin, the name originates from the Ancient Church of the East. Many Daasin beliefs are rooted in Christianity. They revere the Bible (and the Koran). Their tradition is oral. Children are baptised with consecrated water by a priest. At weddings he breaks bread and gives one half to the bride and the other to the groom. The bride then visits Christian churches. They practise sacrifice of animals and circumcision as the ancients did. Their supreme being is Yasdan, the Creator of the world. A great spirit emanates from Yasdan to execute divine will. Yazidism is monotheistic. Over the centuries they have never abandoned their faith or their sense of identity. They are a reserved people with deep roots in their communities. If they are driven from Iraq and Syria they will probably settle in southeast Turkey.
