Why Europeans should worry more then Israelis.
Reader comment on item: Why Hamas['s Electoral Victory] Leaves Me Neutral

Submitted by Yury (United States), Feb 2, 2006 at 16:53

I think Hamas represents more danger for Israel exactly because it is less corrupt then Fattah. But the article is correct: from Israeli point of view the differences aren't so great. Not so if you look from another side of Mediterranean.

Europeans have their own Gaza and West Bank in suburbs of Paris and likes. European intifada already began with youth burning cars and throwing stones. So far European Islamic fundamentalists are few and disorganized but Hamas example gives them encouragement. Being a minority they can't become a dominant political force but they could create enough turmoil to be taken into account and profoundly influence societies they live in.

If I was European I would do all I could to make Hamas fail. Unfortunately European politicians, as politicians all over the world, have more concern with next elections than long term implications of their policies. So we may expect Hamas to continue playing Europeans as Fattah did.

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