ECI: EU partly to blame for rise of Hamas Statement by the European Coalition for Israel

ECI: EU partly to blame for rise of Hamas Statement by the European Coalition for Israel
30th January 2006
http://www.ec4i.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=1
ECI: EU partly to blame for rise of Hamas Statement by the European Coalition for Israel
The European Coalition for Israel deeply deplores the landslide election victory of Hamas in the recent Palestinian Legislative Council elections. A radical Islamic fundamentalist organisation, Hamas continues to refuse to recognise the State of Israel, rejects the right of the Jewish people to live in any part of the Middle East and is through its many suicide terrorist attacks is responsible for the death of hundreds of Israeli civilians.
The overwhelming popular vote for Hamas undoubtedly reflects the widespread anger ordinary Palestinians feel towards the corrupt leadership of the late Yasser Arafat's governing Fatah party. Yet it is deeply disturbing that that a clear majority of Palestinian people would consciously vote for a militant Islamic alternative.
We see this as a direct result of the systematic Islamisation and radicalisation of the Palestinian youth over the past twelve years since the establishment of Palestinian self-rule.
Although this radicalism was spearheaded by Hamas through an exceptionally well-funded network of youth programs and social outreach, it is in no small degree that Fatah used its apparatus of government: the school system, summer camps and state television - to ferment hatred towards Israel and glorify those 'martyrs' willing to use terrorist atrocities to further the Palestinian rejectionist cause.
For the following two reasons, the European Coalition for Israel views the election of Hamas as a direct consequence of Europe’s failed funding policy towards the Palestinian Authority.
Against their better knowledge and despite repeated warnings the EU has consistently chosen to ignore the radical incitement against Israel which continues to take place in Palestinian Schools.
EU-funded textbooks not only ignore the existence of the State of Israel but openly endorse Palestinian shahids (suicide bombers) as courageous role models exemplifying a selfless devotion to Islam and the Palestinian national struggle. We see the election of Hamas as the fruit of the seed of radicalism sown through EU negligence and with European taxpayers money for more than a decade since 1994.
The European Union has consciously ignored the widespread corruption and misuse of funds by the ruling Fatah administration.
The pervasive culture of PA corruption, nepotism and fraud of the current Fatah leadership is recognised as the deciding factor behind the electorate's recent defection to Hamas.
Despite repeated warnings, the EU has continued to pour unprecedented amount of funds into a corrupt system without applying minimum standards of accountability, auditing or respect for human rights and thus is indirectly culpable for the failure of Fatah and rise of Hamas.
This longstanding EU attitude is probably best summed up by Chris Patten - the former EU Commissioner for External Affairs who stated, that he wanted the issue investigated "like I want a hole in the head".
In the light of the above, The European Coalition for Israel urges the EU to immediately review its failed funding practices. We believe that the model of “Moral Leadership Funding” outlined in the ECI position paper: "European Leadership Funding, Investing for Peace in the Middle East", could have lead to a different election result in the Palestinian territories, and opened the doorway to the prospect of future peace.
We recognize that since the recent Palestinian Legislative Council elections, the situation has become far more complex than in the past.
However we call upon the European Union to fundamentally alter its Palestinian funding philosophy and take a far more stringent approach towards the newly elected administration of Hamas if it seeks to foster regional peace.
European Coalition for Israel http://www.ec4i.org/
Brussels, 30th January 2006

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I think they were mighty soft on the EU, since they are located in the EU, they have to be a bit 'contained', truth is, the EU is LARGELY to blame in boosting up the "you are a oppressed palestinian, it's OK what EVER you do".