Israeli officials are facing backlash after years of Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu quietly allowing Hamas to remain in power.

But reporting in the New York Times has revealed that Netanyahu’s government was more hands-on about helping Hamas: they helped a Qatari diplomat bring suitcases of cash into Gaza, indirectly boosting the militant organization, according to the report.

The calculus — the Times reported on Sunday, citing Israeli officials, Netanyahu’s critics, and the man’s own reported statements — was to keep Hamas strong enough to counteract the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, allowing Netanyahu to avoid a two-state peace solution and keep both sides weak.

Israeli security officials got it wrong; they didn’t think Hamas was capable, or even interested, in launching a large attack against the Jewish state.

  • Dkarma@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Israel is set to wipe Gaza off the map. Of course they wanted the money to be misused.

    Does everybody not understand Israel’s goal is to eliminate Gaza and the West bank and replace them with Israeli settlements? They’ve been doing it for years.

    • nforminvasion@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      No not everybody does understand that. When we cry genocide they really don’t understand that is EXACTLY what is happening. We’re not just throwing the word around. They are killing and ousting a people group, that is two forms of genocode

    • mrcleanup@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      They made a blood tithe they feel can never be repaid. Compared to that it’s pretty clear they see all this *waves hand around* as trivial amounts of collateral damage.