Israel drove suitcases stuffed with cash into Gaza to keep Hamas in power: NYT
www.businessinsider.com
Israeli security officials would escort Qatari representatives into Gaza to deliver the cash to Hamas, the New York Times reported.

Israeli officials are facing backlash after years of Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu quietly allowing Hamas to remain in power.

But reporting in the New York Times has revealed that Netanyahu’s government was more hands-on about helping Hamas: they helped a Qatari diplomat bring suitcases of cash into Gaza, indirectly boosting the militant organization, according to the report.

The calculus — the Times reported on Sunday, citing Israeli officials, Netanyahu’s critics, and the man’s own reported statements — was to keep Hamas strong enough to counteract the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, allowing Netanyahu to avoid a two-state peace solution and keep both sides weak.

Israeli security officials got it wrong; they didn’t think Hamas was capable, or even interested, in launching a large attack against the Jewish state.

  • ours@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    11 months ago

    I doubt it was the initial plan but that certainly seems to be how they are rolling now. Now they have a solid casus belli to justify massive bombing on a population.

      • HelixDab2@lemm.eeEnglish
        4·
        11 months ago

        Unless Evangelicals in the US lose significant political power, it’s unlikely that the US will stop backing Israel. While Israel has been useful for foreign policy n the middle east, the base of Republican support is because they believe that Jews must control Jerusalem for Jesus to come back. (Yeah, I wish that was a weird joke. Sadly, it’s not. Lots of Evangelicals are antisemitic, while still supporting the state of Israel.)

        • thecrotch@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          1·
          11 months ago

          Both parties show unwavering support for.israel, but evangelicals are only relevant to the Republicans. It’s not them, they’re a red herring. It’s weapons manufacturers. They exert a strong power equally over both sides of the aisle, and they make money when people are shooting each other. You can thank the likes of Raytheon, Northrop, and general dynamics for the state of Middle Eastern diplomacy.

      • TserriednichThe4th@lemmy.worldEnglish
        47·
        11 months ago

        The european world will come around once it realizes israel is the only reason the radical muslims arent targetting WEU.