In his column
today, Bolt accuses Hamas for breaking the ceasefire in the battle for the
Gaza Strip. Using a simplistic narrative that his tiny band of followers is
able to understand, he writes: “Hostilities had resumed because, as with the
previous four ceasefires, Hamas started firing rockets at Israeli civilians”.
This is a blatant piece of overly simplistic nonsense and ignores the
actual reasons for the resumption of hostilities. The aim of the ceasefire was
to allow the two sides an opportunity to discuss a long term agreement that
might lead to peace. Hamas is merely asking for freedom. It wants the blockade
lifted, it wants the freedom to trade with whoever they want to and they want
the facilities like a seaport and airport to be able to make these things
happen. On the other hand, Israel wants Hamas to disarm; it wants to extend its
no-mans land even further into the Gaza Strip thus limiting the Gaza’s ability
to produce agricultural and horticultural products, and Israel wants to control
what goes in and out of the Strip. Since it was clear that Israel was not going
to allow the people of the Gaza Strip their freedom, Hamas and their allies
have no other choice but to fight on in the only way they know how to.
Of course Hamas want peace, but they also want their freedom. Israel
doesn’t want to give it to them. What Israel really wants is
the Gaza Strip for themselves in order to exploit its
gas reserves and to realise their dream of a Greater Israel.
