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.

  • GoodEye8English
    2·
    11 months ago

    Given the thousands of rockets fired at Israel by Hamas from Gaza every year, the international community is understanding of a blockade being put in place.

    Is somehow understandable by the international community

    Denying the passage of aid across that blockade however would be seen as far worse.

    Not aid, money. And somehow not understandable by the international community despite the US verifying that the money sent goes to Hamas? So preventing funds for those rockets is not understandable by the international community?

    • Tavarin@lemmy.caEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      Money is aid. Money can buy food, and water, and whatever other supplies a state needs.

      • GoodEye8English
        1·
        11 months ago

        If money is aid then money is also bombs, rockets, WMD parts etc. Money is just an object of exchange that may be used to buy aid. But it doesn’t make it aid, just like it doesn’t make it a bomb.

        • Tavarin@lemmy.caEnglish
          1·
          11 months ago

          But unlike sending food, it is non-perishable, and can allow a country to buy what it needs. Money is aid.

          • GoodEye8English
            11·
            11 months ago

            In that case money is also bombs and it would actually make sense to prevent it from entering Gaza.

            • Tavarin@lemmy.caEnglish
              1·
              11 months ago

              And now you have an even worse humanitarian crisis, and a pissed off international community because you’ve denied aid to Gaza. Congrats, you’re a terrible world leader.

              • GoodEye8English
                2·
                11 months ago

                Actual aid is not prevent so nobody gives a fuck. Nobody also gives a fuck about every other action take by Israel that is deepening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Literally nothing would change for Israel, except Hamas wouldn’t get that money.

                Now before you continue your mental circlejerk to not accept being wrong remember, you’re the one defending Netanyahu right now. He wanted that money in Gaza and he made sure it would make it there. If you want to keep defending Netanyahu, go ahead.

                • Tavarin@lemmy.caEnglish
                  11·
                  11 months ago

                  Now before you continue your mental circlejerk

                  Pot, meet kettle.

                  Money is considered aid, always has been.

                  • GoodEye8English
                    11·
                    11 months ago

                    I’m not the one ignoring larger points to focus on some irrelevant gray area. Once again, if you want to die on the hill of technicality go ahead, money is aid. Now unless you’re going to address what I’ve already brought up multiple times kindly fuck off.