# The blind, fanatical nature of support for Israel **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 4, 2010, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990 "2010-10-04T10:52:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/61 "2010-10-04T20:11:14Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Yes, but **Shodan** specifically said Hamas. Not me - my cite - > [@](#): > > **The Hamas authorities** , who control Gaza, have accused nearly all the condemned men of “treason and collaborating with Israel”. Another seven Palestinians have been sentenced to death in absentia. > > **Hamas-run military courts** in Gaza sentenced 16 people to death in 2009 and 2010. Eight of these were convicted of treason. A **Hamas civilian court** sentenced one person to death during that period. Like I said, it never seems to do any good. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/62 "2010-10-04T20:47:11Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Incidentally, would Israel even _allow_ the Palestinian Authority to try anyone accused of anti-Israeli terrorism? It would, perforce, in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has no civil officials or troop presence on the ground, and which it no longer even claims as occupied territory. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/63 "2010-10-04T20:53:54Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > > > Yes, but **Shodan** specifically said Hamas. > > Not me - my cite - > > > [@](#): > > > > **The Hamas authorities** , who control Gaza, have accused nearly all the condemned men of “treason and collaborating with Israel”. Another seven Palestinians have been sentenced to death in absentia. > > > > **Hamas-run military courts** in Gaza sentenced 16 people to death in 2009 and 2010. Eight of these were convicted of treason. A **Hamas civilian court** sentenced one person to death during that period. > > Like I said, it never seems to do any good. It’s the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas. Hamas is just the party that controls it, like the Democrats in the US control Congress. Hamas does not have a court system. The Palestinian Authority has a court system. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/64 "2010-10-04T21:06:04Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > > [@Shodan](#): > > > > Not me - my cite - > > Like I said, it never seems to do any good. > > It’s the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas. Hamas is just the party that controls it, like the Democrats in the US control Congress. Hamas does not have a court system. The Palestinian Authority has a court system. Sorry, Dio, that’s like saying that in the Soviet Union., the Communists did not have a court system. In any one-party rule - like Hamas in Gaza or Fatah in the West Bank - there is no real distinction between the party and the public institutions in controls. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/65 "2010-10-04T21:15:07Z")
I beg to differ, Hamas was democratically elected. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/66 "2010-10-04T21:30:41Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I beg to differ, Hamas was democratically elected. Hamas received a majority of the seats in the \*\*legislative \*\*branch of a presidential (not parliamentary) system. It seized control of the \*\*executive \*\*branch in Gaza illegally, by force, and outlawed all other political parties. That meets no definition of democracy I’ve ever heard of. That’s like the Republicans taking control of the House next month, and then raising an army, seizing control of the White House and outlawing the Democratic Party. Would you consider that legitimate? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/67 "2010-10-05T00:11:01Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > > > I beg to differ, Hamas was democratically elected. > > Hamas received a majority of the seats in the \*\*legislative \*\*branch of a presidential (not parliamentary) system. It seized control of the \*\*executive \*\*branch in Gaza illegally, by force, and outlawed all other political parties. That meets no definition of democracy I’ve ever heard of. > > That’s like the Republicans taking control of the House next month, and then raising an army, seizing control of the White House and outlawing the Democratic Party. Would you consider that legitimate? There’s them as would . . . ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/68 "2010-10-05T05:20:24Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > [@Alessan](#): > > > > So I guess “Musselman” and “Mohammedean” are right out? > > What ever happened to “Saracen”? Moor? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/69 "2010-10-05T08:56:08Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > [@Alessan](#): > > > > Hamas received a majority of the seats in the \*\*legislative \*\*branch of a presidential (not parliamentary) system. It seized control of the \*\*executive \*\*branch in Gaza illegally, by force, and outlawed all other political parties. That meets no definition of democracy I’ve ever heard of. > > > > That’s like the Republicans taking control of the House next month, and then raising an army, seizing control of the White House and outlawing the Democratic Party. Would you consider that legitimate? > > There’s them as would . . . And then claim to be democratically elected. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/70 "2010-10-05T14:05:40Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Sorry, Dio, that’s like saying that in the Soviet Union., the Communists did not have a court system. In any one-party rule - like Hamas in Gaza or Fatah in the West Bank - there is no real distinction between the party and the public institutions in controls. Hey, Dio’s the Expert. Where do you get off thinking you know more about the situation than he does? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/71 "2010-10-05T14:10:11Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > > There’s them as would . . . > > And then claim to be democratically elected. And then get a surprising number of credulous foreigners to play along. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/72 "2010-10-06T18:10:54Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > So they don’t have court systems. Hamas doesn’t have a court system? Didn’t they get elected, or something? ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/73 "2010-10-06T18:19:20Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > > > I beg to differ, Hamas was democratically elected. > > Hamas received a majority of the seats in the \*\*legislative \*\*branch of a presidential (not parliamentary) system. It seized control of the \*\*executive \*\*branch in Gaza illegally, by force, and outlawed all other political parties. That meets no definition of democracy I’ve ever heard of. > > That’s like the Republicans taking control of the House next month, and then raising an army, seizing control of the White House and outlawing the Democratic Party. Would you consider that legitimate? And Abbas’ Presidential term expired nearly two years ago. He’s refusing to hold a new election because Hamas would win the Presidential election too. The only people with any democratic mandate whatsoever are Hamas. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/74 "2010-10-06T19:05:50Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > And Abbas’ Presidential term expired nearly two years ago. He’s refusing to hold a new election because Hamas would win the Presidential election too. The only people with any democratic mandate whatsoever are Hamas. Since the elections took place in early 2006, I’m pretty sure that their term limits have run out, too. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990/75 "2010-10-06T20:42:26Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > > [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > > > And Abbas’ Presidential term expired nearly two years ago. He’s refusing to hold a new election because Hamas would win the Presidential election too. The only people with any democratic mandate whatsoever are Hamas. > > Since the elections took place in early 2006, I’m pretty sure that their term limits have run out, too. There’s a Presidential term limit, now expired, but as far as the parliament goes it needs the PA to hold new elections, something the PA refuses to do for the samje reason they won’t hold a Presidential election. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990.md?page=3)