‘They Are Still Civilians’: Commentator Debunks Right-wing Talking Point
"Barely one in four, picked Hamas as their preferred party," Hasan says of Palestinians
A prominent author and political commentator has debunked an oft-repeated point among the political right that somehow Palestinian civilians deserve the massive death they're experiencing right now because they elected Hamas, the organization responsible for the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel.
About 10,000 Palestinian civilians — including thousands of children — have been killed in the Israeli military retaliation against Gaza for the October 7 attacks, which left more than 1,000 Israelis dead.
Many Republicans, and other figures on the political right, have justified the huge numbers of Palestinians killed by saying that the Palestinians elected Hamas as their political leadership.
That rationale is deeply flawed, according to Mehdi Hasan, an author as well as a host and commentator on MSNBC.
“It’s been a constant refrain in some circles since the start of this conflict between Hamas and Israel: ‘There’s no difference between Hamas and the people of Gaza because the Gazans elected Hamas,’ to quote Republican senator Tom Cotton. ‘The citizens of Gaza voted for Hamas,’ to quote once-liberal lawyer Alan Dershowitz,” Hasan said. “That’s just false, incorrect, untrue. First, half the population of Gaza are kids under the age of 18. The vast majority of them were not alive, let alone old enough to vote the last time elections were held in Gaza back in 2006, 17 years ago.
“Second, Hamas didn’t even get a majority of the vote back in 2006. In fact, even this year, prior to the current conflict, one survey found only 27 percent of Gazans — barely won in four — picked Hamas as their preferred party,” Hasan added. “And third, even if everyone in Gaza had voted for Hamas, supported Hamas, they are still civilians protected by international humanitarian law. They still can’t be targeted.”
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