Submitted by sebastian, Jun 19, 2007 02:31

Like your writer, I find the silence over the slaughter and civil terror in Gaza more than slightly puzzling. Hamas seems to be let off lightly and yet its deeds are brutal, its policies inflammatory and its intentions grim. Fatah is hardly much better. Had these things been done by, say, the French or the Brits or by white residents of a New York suburb then we'd be deafened by Human Rights wailing and protest. Had it been the Israelis, then foaming Left wing apoplexy would be swamping every TV screen.

Hamas is a truly sinister outfit run by thugs and Islamofascists and funded by Iran. They seek the sort of Islamic State that discriminates even against its own Christian Arab citizens, persecutes gays, non-conformist women, men who speak out and anyone else that questions Hamas' religious certaintities and political aims. So much for freedom and liberal sentiment. Is this what the Gazan population voted for? Whatever, they're certainly getting it. But where is the same Western liberal scorn and outrage so readily poured on the neighbouring Jewish State. Yes, the same State - the hated Zionist Entity - that Gazans scurry to for sanctuary and protection from their own "democratic" AK47 festooned, hooded, Qu'ran brandishing public executioners.

Where, indeed, is the condemnation of Hamastan's institutional violence and intolerance? Your newspaper poses a very fair question.

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