Israel Matzav

There's a sucker born every minute

There's a sucker born every minute and Aziz Dwaik, Hamas's most senior representative in the West Bank, apparently found one in Hebron this week. The sucker's name is David Martin Abrahams, and unfortunately, he's described as a British millionaire with close connections to the British and Israeli governments. Dwaik told Abrahams that Hamas really doesn't want to drive us into the sea. Of course, Dwaik doesn't even speak for Hamas in Gaza, let alone for its real leadership in Syria.

Abrahams is scheduled to brief British Foreign Secretary David Milliband this weekend on the outcome of his meeting with Dwaik and other top Hamas officials in the West Bank.

Abrahams, a major donor to Britain's Labor Party, told The Jerusalem Post he would urge Milliband to "consider the implications of Hamas's positive overtures."

During the meeting in Hebron, Dwaik stressed that other Hamas leaders, including Damascus-based leader Khaled Mashaal and Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, have voiced support for the idea of establishing an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 boundaries.

Of course they have. As the first stage of Israel's destruction. As a temporary solution for a few years until they can regroup enough to drive us out.

Please....

Abrahams said that he would be happy to facilitate a dialogue between Hamas on the one hand, and Israel and the international community on the other. He said he was "very excited" to hear from the most prominent leader of Hamas in the West Bank that the movement would be prepared to nullify its charter and accept Israel.

"The fact that there is a possibility for recognition of Israel is a symbolic gesture," Abrahams added. "We can all look for good in people and we can all look for bad in people. I always look for the good."

Asked whether he might be condemned as naïve for believing Hamas, Abrahams said, "People might say that I'm naïve, so let them. But I'm prepared to give them [Hamas] a chance because I've got faith and confidence in Dwaik and Haniyeh. We can't allow 1.5 million to be festering in the Gaza Strip while the majority of them are good and well-educated."

Abrahams said that his decision to engage Hamas was aimed at "preventing bloodshed on both sides." He said he was encouraged by the massive support he found among the Jewish community in Britain for the idea of talking to Hamas.

"I recently published an article in the Jewish Chronicle to test the temperature of the water within the Jewish community about Hamas," he said. "I found a lot of support among Jews for dealing with Hamas and I was pleasantly surprised."

Denying that he had delivered any message from the British government or the EU leadership to Hamas, Abrahams said he was convinced more than ever that the movement posed no threat to the US. "Hamas is different from al-Qaida," he said. "Hamas is no threat to Western interests."

This guy sounds like the British version of Jimmy Carter.

'Hamas is no threat to Western interests....' Anyone know how to sing Kumbaya in British?

P.S. Dwaik is now denying the quotes attributed to him in the article above (Hat Tip: Elder of Ziyon).

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:01 AM