How should the US and Israel respond to Hamas?
90010
Hold them responsible for Palestinean agression.\n\nWithhold all financial support of Palestine until there is a concerted effort towards peace.\n\nContinue to support Israel.
220146
The future will be more of the same abuse the Arabs of Judea/Samaria and Gaza experienced under Fatah.\n\nThe Hamas is a terror gang part of the Muslim Brotherhood. \n\nHamas has set the destruction of Israel as its goal. Between September 2000 and April 2004, Hamas perpetrated 425 terrorist attacks against Israel and murdered 377 Israelis.  \n\nHamas was founded by Islamic militant extremists in the Gaza Strip in 1988, shortly after the first intifada broke out. The word Hamas is an acronym for the Arabic words for "Islamic Resistance Movement." \n\nThough it is also involved in social and welfare programs, the organization is devoted chiefly to the obliteration of Israel. Its charter states, "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it." \n\nThe charter further states, "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors.\n\nHamas is responsible for 24 murders before the Oslo Accords, 156 more before the Oslo War began in September 2000, and at least another 377 since then - a total of at least 557.\n\nThe organization's first mass attack was a car bomb that blew up at a bus stop in Afula in April 1994, murdering 8 and wounding 51. Among the most horrific Hamas attacks were the following:\n\n* 22 people killed and 56 wounded in a suicide bombing attack on the No. 5 bus on \nDizengoff St. in Tel Aviv, Oct. 1994\n\n* 26 killed by suicide bomber on a #18 bus near the Jerusalem Central Bus Station, Feb. 1996\n\n* 16 killed in the Mahane Yehuda open market in Jerusalem in a double suicide attack, July 1997\n\n* 23 dead and 115 wounded when a Hamas suicide bomber blew himself up on a No. 2 bus line coming from the Western Wall in Jerusalem, August 2003\n\n* 45 murdered within the space of five days in March 2002: a suicide Hamas terrorist blew himself up in a Haifa restaurant, killing 15, and another one did the same in the Park Hotel in in Netanya during a Passover Seder, murdering some 30 and wounding 144.\n\nThe ten worst Oslo War Hamas attacks, in which a total of 186 were murdered, also included the following: \n* June 1, 2001 - Dolphinarium in Tel Aviv, 21 killed - mostly new-immigrant teenagers from the former Soviet Union\n\n* Aug. 9, 2001 - Sbarro's Pizzeria in Jerusalem, 15 killed, including the parents and three children of the Schijveschuurder family\n\n* Dec. 2, 2001 - Haifa bus, 15 killed\n\n* May 7, 2002 - Rishon Letzion hall, 16 killed\n\n* June 18, 2002 - #32 bus from Gilo, Jerusalem, 19 killed\n\n* March 5, 2003 - #37 bus in Haifa, 15 dead\n\n* June 11, 2003 - #14 bus, Jerusalem, 17 murdered\n \n...And it goes on
1002691
I think it is very foolish to blindly support Israel. The Arab/Muslim world's voice is ignored, and while this is being done, we will NEVER have world peace. (Here it comes: I am going to be branded a nazi anti-semite.... again, which I am NOT) I am saying: Let's LISTEN to what they have to say. I am not proposing the destruction of Israel, but sadly, Israel is regarded as a bastion of western democracy by some in the west, but as a cancer by most in the Arab/Muslim world, and the ONLY solution is to sit down and LISTEN to EVERYBODY'S view.\nI have had people writing to me pointing out that Egypt is a shining example of the acceptance of Israel in the Middle East;\nwhat a misconception, while they are receiving billions of dollars from the US, they are only paying lipservice to this socalled acceptance. The people in the Middle East allege that the state of Israel was IMPOSED on them, (which is partly true) and this will remain a festering sore in the search for peace in the region. Certain interest groups in the Western world have equated the call for a serious and analytical look a the situation as being 'anti-semitic' (the 'last taboo', as mentioned in the question.) While this 'equation' is heeded by western leaders, terrorism will flourish. Israel is acting like a little boy whose older brother is the strongest in the the school, and by extension, the little brat is going around doing whatever he likes, knowing that his BIG brother will protect him.\nWe should ask ourselves: For how long are we going to allow this situation to continue? Until we are FORCED to sit down and LISTEN, or until we have a war between religions? Is it too much to ask to LISTEN?
80779
The USA doesn't support Israel in killing of palestians.  However, it does recognize that Israel is under constant terrorist attacks from Hamas, Hezzbalah and other terrorist organizations and Israel has a right to defend itself.  As part of defense, Israel targets known terrorists or those that are harboring terrorists.  Except for the countries that are aiding the terrorists (Syria, Lebanon, Iran, etc) no country has a problem with targeted assassinations.
422541
Hamas was elected in a democratic election and should be able to form their government. At the same time, they should uphold the rights of other human beings. If they are serious about turning away from terrorism and brut force, they should know actions speak louder than words. \n\nIf the Palestinian government won't recognize Israel's right to exist then why should Israel keep giving the Palestinians money? Stop crying for funds from someone you say doesn't exist.\n\nNo one can have it both ways. Shake hands and take the money or ignore Israel and find your funds elsewhere.\n\nFor the second part of your question , terrorism is the most effective means radial people have found to get their cause in the media. Mass terror(ak a) bombings sales newspapers. Doesn't matter if it is a suicide bomber in the Middle East or a bomb at a clinic.
657892
Israel was imposed on Palestine by the UN, it is a racist state which is based on discrimination of non-Jews. \n\nWhilst I absolutly oppose Hamas and their anti semitism, it is a bit of a cheek for the USA and the EU to claim to be creating democracy in Iraq and then actively trying to undermine it in Palestine, simply because they do not like who got elected.  Still, at least it gives us an uptodate definition of hypocrisy I suppose.
633064
Because Terror is Terror no matter who is doing it.It should always be condemmed and be stopped.Do I agree with Israel..well no but Terror is terror.\n    Hamas is a terror organization period.Israel should get out of gaza and give the palestinians their state.This I believe would solve many of the middle eastern problems.
290483
I hope they will. The whole world is tired of the arrogance and intolerance of the Israeli Government. If they do not, the problem will be back in the future. When the US will fall in the future, Israel will fall as well.
134780
Mr. Sharon, will not sound very happy with that news, and will not be able to deal with hamas.\nbut the question will rise, if Fath cant solve the problem, nor can hamas, who will finish all this trouble?\nanyhow israel will not deal with a government which doesnot respect the previous issues, and till the leagal elected government do not stop supporting terrorism.
517125
Of course they should, but they never will. Hamas is a terrorist organization whose soul purpose is to destroy isreal and resetablish the palastinian state. They also stand no benefit from recognizing isreal. Sure they will aid for the palastinian people from the american governemnt but they will lose all of the funding given to them from Iran and Saudi Arabia.
637807
1. When at least one side adopts a stance of non-violence, or a non-violent reformer emerges, such as Gandhi did for India.\n\n2. I agree with the above answerer - the USA must get the heck out of all Mid-Eastern affairs.  Israel has a decent economy and a great army.  let them support themselves.
643332
Take the Israeli influence out and let the Palestinians exercise their own free will independently.\nFatah and Hammas are two native groups in Palestine like every one else has in his country.\nWhy are you targeting Palestine only?
259411
I think the governments of the West have made it very clear what the barrier is.  Hamas was renounce terrorism and its call for the destruction of Israel.  I think you call it a "Jew lobby" in our senate, but it's not because it's a Jewish state or Israel, it's because Hamas is calling for the destruction of another country.  That does not ever sit well with the United States.  If Hamas will renounce its former violence and become a legitimate POLITICAL party that will seek change through PEACEFUL and POLITICAL methods, then it will be recognized by the West as a legitimate government.  It will finally get the recognition by the world that it has craved.   Surely the leaders of Hamas are intelligent enough to see that.  Your prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, taught peace, not violence.  I see the election of Hamas in Palestine to be a golden opportunity for the leadership of Hamas.  I hope they do not do anything foolish that would ruin their chances of establishing a legitimate government.
753386
UN has no power over what is going on in the Middle East.As long as US has the right to veto in the UN security Council Israeli soldiers will keep killing Palestinians...knowing that no matter what US is going to save them...So US says to UN what it's UN's policy in the Middle East...
488400
Israel should never had appeard in the first place. The jewish are the plague of our time, wherever they go, they leave nothing but death and destruction. Their conspiracies around the world has caused a lot of civil wars... The united states is losing thousands of soldiers in Iraq because Israel started to fear Saddam. And now Israel fears Iran, but I hope the american people will finally realize that their greatest enemy in this world are not the muslims, nor the terrorists, but it's Israel. U see, Israel has control over the american governement. All her wishes are fulfilled, all the UN actions against Israelare been broken. The jewish army has commited hundreds of massacres against the lebanese and palestinien people, and now Mr. Bush dears to stand and say "We won't help Hamass unless she accepts Israel as a nation". The american citizens must not allow such interference.\n\nKnow that the rise of Israel in the 50th has conducted the beginning of terrorism concept. The american people has suffered the 11-9 because they help Israel.\nThe Nazi leader Hitler knew that the jewish people are the must dangerous species on earth, that's why he decided they must perish, but damn it he failed. Israel must never had come here. Why didn't America give her a states somewhere in alaska, and let her go to hell with jerusalem.\nHehe, I bet Sharon is already dead but they won't admit it untill they secure the northern border with hezbollah.\nWith the policies the united states is taking in our time, Israel may not vanish unless if the united states and England vanished first, and that's what all the american people had forgotten. The jew hates christianism more than they hate the muslims. and know that if all the arab people have vanished, Israel will start killing you you dumb americans.\n\nMay God bless China-Iran-Russia cause they might be the only power that can stand against the Israelien-American-Brighton.
1094155
Try to convince the usa gov who r supporting all this brutal israeli actions,and the israelies will stop,\nwhy should the israelies destroy a whole town to free one  soldier!!!\nthey can negotiate over him in a peacfull way,\nor\nthey sure can send a special force unit to search for him and save him if they know where he is, instead of all that,\nand if they dont know where he is,so how they think they will save him by mass invasion to gaza,and by destroying the infrastracture of a city with a very hight population,not carring how many they kill and harm in the way?they propably will get him killed that way\nand in the same time all the innocent civ,including KIDS,will be badly harmed by the electricity & water cut.\nWhy r u punishing the palestinians for electing their gov in a democratic way,is it cause u dont like their DEMOCRATIC choice,u make them suffer this way?\nusa could stop all that with one phone call from the white house,and try to stop a new human massacres,but i think that the american gov ,agree and bless whats hapening.\n\nsend e-mails to usa gov and ask them to stop & not support whats happening there,thats what any good average american can do.
395352
Israel will take care of it..there is no question about that.\n\nAnd American will come out and publicily say that Israel should not have but behind closed doors we will be grateful for it.\n\nAmerica cannot afford to get involved at the moment.. \nHowever, we cannot afford to allow Iran to have a nuclear program either.