The historical long view may be helpful in tempering the public’s and press’s understanding of Hamas. The Palestinian Liberation Organization was once considered a terrorist group by most governments, but is now treated as a legitimate governing body in Palestine by the press, despite the fact that, in 2004, the U.S. Congress again declared PLO to be a terror organization. One day, Hamas, too, may be recognized by the international community as a legitimate government.
But the press shouldn’t wait for that day. Journalists are already hampered by distance in reporting the Gazan point of view, given that they are physically excluded from covering the fighting. Incomplete descriptions of Hamas make it harder still for readers to make sense of it all—and create the additional distance of misunderstanding. Journalism’s task is to elucidate, not obscure the truth, and, in the case of Hamas, a short label hardly tells the whole story.
Yeah, great ... Hamas provides you with social services, then demands that you strap a bomb around your waist and blow yourself up. Thanks for the clarification!
#1 Posted by Dan Kennedy, CJR on Thu 8 Jan 2009 at 06:16 PM
The principles of the Hamas are stated in their Covenant or Charter, given in full at http://www.mideastweb.org/hamas.htm
Following are highlights.
"Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."
"The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. "
"There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors."
"After Palestine, the Zionists aspire to expand from the Nile to the Euphrates. When they will have digested the region they overtook, they will aspire to further expansion, and so on. Their plan is embodied in the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion", and their present conduct is the best proof of what we are saying."
It does appear to me that the short label "terrorist organization" tells the whole story.
#2 Posted by Gerald A. Connell, CJR on Thu 8 Jan 2009 at 06:43 PM
No doubt Hamas has won some support by providing social services that the corrupt PLO failed to. But Hamas's definition as a terrorist organization stems from its raison d'etre: its vow to destroy anything that resembles a Jewish state and to kill as many Israelis (and/or Jews) as it can in the process - a fact Ms Baachko conveniently forgot to mention.
#3 Posted by Richard Z. Chesnoff, CJR on Thu 8 Jan 2009 at 08:13 PM
Yes, we are all so preconditioned by the concepts the media frame and feed us.
As Alex Jones says, "There's a war on for your mind!"
If we're not trying to love others--even our enemies--then we're not being the people God wants us to be.
#4 Posted by Public Takeover, CJR on Fri 9 Jan 2009 at 03:53 PM
Thanks for this objective information on Hamas. The article portrays you fulfilling one of the cardinal principles of social responsibility. You 've demonstrated the greatness of scholarship by refusing to be blinded by bias and prejudice.
#5 Posted by Abdullahi Doki, CJR on Thu 15 Jan 2009 at 07:23 AM