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.

  • Tavarin@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    11 months ago

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

    • GoodEye8
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      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.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        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.

        • GoodEye8
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          11 months ago

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

          • Tavarin@lemmy.ca
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            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.

            • GoodEye8
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              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.ca
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                arrow-down
                1
                ·
                11 months ago

                Now before you continue your mental circlejerk

                Pot, meet kettle.

                Money is considered aid, always has been.

                • GoodEye8
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  arrow-down
                  1
                  ·
                  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.

                  • Tavarin@lemmy.ca
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    arrow-down
                    1
                    ·
                    11 months ago

                    Nope, because you fail to understand how Israel denying the movement of aid into Gaza would be a bad look for them.

                    And Netanyahu is still a piece of shit who needs to be removed form power, but not for allowing aid into Gaza.