Allister speaks in Europe on crisis in Palestine
22 May 2007
During a debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the worsening situation in Gaza, Jim Allister MEP described Hamas’ “undiluted attachment to terror” as making them unfit to govern. If international action was to be taken, then it must major on disarming both Fatah and Hamas, said the Ulster Euro MP, otherwise this vicious civil war will continue to spiral downwards.
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
“The misery and suffering in Palestine is truly awful. While the fact that it is largely self-inflicted does not lessen its impact, it does knock those, who always want to blame Israel for every tragedy in the region, off their usual hobby horse. This civil war between Fatah and Hamas, particularly the aggressive actions of Hamas, show us that pursuit of democracy and democratic mandate has done nothing to tame or temper their adherence to terror. It is this undiluted attachment to terror which makes Hamas unfit to govern.
Likewise their continuing aggression towards Israel, with a sustained rocket campaign, wholly justifies the defensive response of Tel Aviv.
I fear so long as Fatah and Hamas can tout both gun and ballot, then democracy, and the peace which it can bring, will not prevail in this troubled and failed entity that is Gaza. Any international initiative which fails to address the removal of the gun from both sides will flounder and fail.”
