Posted by David on June 25, 2007, 9:42 pm Hope you are well. I write to ask a few questions of your report yesterday from Gaza (RTE 9 News 25/06/07). In an interview with Dr. Ahmed Yousef, you put to him the worries of the International community: "They are worried you are an extremist organisation." Yet you had already and continue to describe Hamas as "the radical Islamist party." If you first assert that Hamas are 'radical Islamists' (another way of saying 'extremists') then does that not negate the point of asking Dr. Yousef whether they are or not? [1] Who decides whether Hamas are 'radical Islamists/extremists' and Fatah 'moderates/mainstream'? By accepting these labels are you simply accepting the contrived frames set by the 'international community'? You also stated that "since the blood shed Arab leaders and the mainstream president Mahmoud Abbas have turned against Hamas." Is it not the case that Mahmoud Abbas had turned against Hamas prior to the blood shed? Reuters reported earlier this month: "The U.S. government began to lay the ground for President Mahmoud Abbas to dismiss the Hamas-led Palestinian government at least a year before the Islamist group's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last week." [2] Which is no surprise given that "[s]ince the election victory of Hamas in January 2006, the United States and Israel have worked to isolate and damage Hamas and build up Fatah with recognition and weaponry." Not to mention the fact numerous Hamas officials have been kidnapped over the last year. [3] Yours sincerely, David Manning 1. http://www.rte.ie/news/9news/
89.100.105.157
Richard.Downes@rte.ie
complaints@rte.ie
Dear Richard Downes,
2. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L17443574.htm
3. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/world/middleeast/14mideast.html?partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print
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