Ask
Financial Crisis
Attorney
Ken Gross
about...

Editor's Letter

The Drumbeat Of Hamas

H

amas preaches a moderate brand of political Islam
and is doing nothing radical in how it governs the
Gaza Strip, a key spokesman for the Palestinian ter-
rorist group claimed in a revealing interview with Reuters.
I applaud the news agency for having
the courage to publish the interview
so the entire world could learn more
about Hamas and its scary culture of
anti-Zionism and Western hatred.
The beat that is llamas, a U.S.- and
European Union-declared terrorist
organization whose charter calls for
Israel's destruction, certainly goes on.
Reuters described Mahmoud
Robert Sklar
Al-Zahar as a Hamas strategist who
Editor
speaks fluent English. He's a sur-
geon who taught medicine at Islamic
University in Gaza, underscoring how influential, and thus
dangerous, he can be. He survived a 2003 Israeli assassination
attempt that killed one son; another son died in a 2008 Israeli
airstrike.
In the Reuters interview disseminated
by the Washington-based Israel Project,
Al-Zahar, a Hamas co-founder, rejected the
criticism that Hamas faces for enforcing laws
seen as "Islamizing" Gaza. Such laws include
banning women from riding motorcycles
and smoking water pipes.
"Is it a crime to Islamize the people?"
Al-Zahar asked, addressing the West, espe-
cially Europe, and its Judeo-Christian roots.
"I am a Muslim living here according to our
tradition. Why should Hive under your tra-
dition?"
The former Hamas foreign minister
added, "We understand you very well. You
are poor. Morally poor. Don't criticize us because of what we
are:'

means; Al-Zahar's premise about how Europeans treat women
is illogical.
Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, violently seized
control of Gaza in 2007 after repelling rival forces loyal to
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who had
governed both Palestinian territories. The year before, llamas
began its rise to power after winning a 2006 parliamentary
election, promising and delivering some social services, but
never wavering from its terrorist path.

The Political Reality
Despite Israel's 2008 military thrust into Gaza and strong
Western economic sanctions, llamas remains in power, refusing
to recognize Israel or renounce violence, both requirements for
even scant movement toward peace with Israel and the West.
In a notable passage of its Oct. 28 interview with Al-Zahar,
Reuters reminded how Hamas has few Western friends, yet
some democratic nations, including Israel, maintain indirect
ties. That's a signal of just how serious the Jewish state is about
solving its stalemate with the Iranian proxy in Gaza City.
Oddly, or perhaps strategically,
Al-Zahar said he was incensed that
Western nations could denounce
llamas, but embrace Israel, the Gaza
Strip's neighbor to the east. The West
has nothing in common with the
evil zeal that is llamas, but plenty
in vogue with America's strongest
Middle East ally.
I'd like to think Hamas really
means it could live peacefully
alongside Israel under a prolonged
ceasefire; but there's no evidence to
think llamas could live up to its end
of such a settlement. llamas contin-
ues to launch rockets into the Negev
under the guise that it is at war to free land illegally occupied
by Israel. When Israel responds with air strikes against military
targets, llamas says Israel has broken the ceasefire — so the
cycle of violence drones on.

I'd like to think
Hamas really means
it could live peacefully
alongside Israel under
a prolonged ceasefire;
but there's no evidence.

Deepening The Wedge
Al-Zahar said that Islamic traditions deserve respect and
accused Europe of promoting promiscuity and political
hypocrisy. "We have the right to control our life according to
our religion, not according to your religion:' he said. "You have
no religion. You are secular."
You can bet he was referring to Christianity and Judaism in
the same breath he was saying Europe has no religion.
So much for respecting other faiths.
What he said next should shock no one, but does under-
score that Islamists, who espouse and seek Islamic supremacy,
certainly aren't interfaith advocates — or abiders of civility:
"You do not live like human beings. You do not [even] live like
animals. You accept homosexuality, and now you criticize us:'
France and other European nations that recently banned
Muslim women from wearing full face-veils in public drew
Al-Zahar's wrath.
"We are the ones who respect women and honor women ...
not you:' he said. "You use women as an animal. She has one
husband and hundreds of thousands of boyfriends. You don't
know who is the father of your sons because of the way you
respect women:'
I'm not sure how to decipher what that mumbo-jumbo

A Faint Hope
It's bad enough that Hamas claims Israel has illegally occupied
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank; but given the Hamas charter,
the State of Israel itself, a sovereign nation, seems part of that
perceived occupation as well.
In that light, Al-Zahar went on to chide the West for support-
ing Israel. "You should be ashamed of supporting Israel. You
cannot support the foundation of Israel," he told Reuters.
Don't expect to see llamas at the negotiating table anytime
soon, if ever. Gaza-Israeli peace may only come with new lead-
ership in Gaza City. And we saw with the Palestinian Authority
how llamas digs in against political invaders. ❑

0 :

fr- •
W
I-

z z
5 0

a. 0

-

Does Mahmoud Al-Zahar's political strategy
shock you?

Do you envision Hamas ever making peace
with Israel?

Can Credit Card
Debt Really Be
Eliminated?

Yes – but you need
to proceed with
caution. Watch out
for the radio, tv and direct
mail ads making the big, wild
claims – they overcharge and
under perform. We call the
process Debt Resolution. We
do it as lawyers – we notify the
creditors that we are attorneys
representing our clients for
severe financial distress and
are seeking a solution outside
of bankruptcy – if they are
reasonable. We use the cash
flow from not paying the cards
to settle the debt over time. You
need careful planning, however,
because there can be tax
consequences and sometimes
less expensive and quicker
solutions. BOTTOM LINE
it can be great in the right
situation, but sometimes
there are better options.
The law firm of Thav, Gross,
Steinway and Bennett has been
solving its clients' business,
tax and financial problems for
29 years. Call today for a free
private consultation or email
kengross@thavgross.com .

0 l'HAV GROSS

888.235.4357 (HELP) or
248.645.1700
For information. visit us online at
fctaliccenter.com • stoptardebteont
stoperedItorcalIs.com

30150 Telegraph.. Suite 444,
Bingham Farms, MI 48025

1630960

Novenber

••

e

2010

5

