Why this obsession with Hamas? I must admit I was confused by the column “Victory for Hamas, tragedy for the Palestinians” that appeared in the Sept. 23 Gazette. Although the increasingly popular elected authority Hamas, through its military wing the Al Quassam Brigades, is exacting a toll on the Israel Defense Forces invading and occupying Gaza, Wikipedia lists 47 armed resistance groups in Palestine. This includes the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which Islamophobes might be relieved to know, is a Marxist organization. One explanation for the proliferation of these groups is a growing resentment towards the increased brutalization endured by the people of Gaza. This resistance has endured for over a half a century, and to think it can be overcome by mass and indiscriminate violence seems to contradict nearly all historical precedents.

David King

Amherst