re: #307 Killgore Trout

I assume there’s probably some level of sympathy for Hamas. It’s very rare to see Muslim groups denounce Hamas and if they do it’s usually in the form of denouncing all “terrorist” activity including Israeli. That’s just the way it is. As long as they aren’t sending money or material support they are allowed to root for who ever they want.

Hamas stood for - and won - elections, elections the western world called for. Rightly or wrongly they are the rulers of a highly unstable part of the world - less corrupt on the ground and more efficient than the PLO at service delivery to the plebs.

Solidarity with the palestinian people is a cornerstone of pretty much all Muslim belief - radical/moderate/mildly non-plussed. Denouncing the defacto government elected by Palestinians is not as easy as it seems.

What we may see as “denouncing terrorism” is seen elsewhere as “abandoning the people of Palestine” to eleven.

Thats my dis-passionate assessment.