It's so refreshing when Hamas leaders drop the mask and come right out in no uncertain terms and proclaim their true intentions regarding the state of Israel.

Not that western elites care very much. They're not stupid. They know full well that the goal of Hamas is the destruction of Israel. They pretend they don't notice, but that's an act. Advocates for the Palestinian cause in the west are fully cognizant of who and what they are supporting.

The fact is, they would prefer that Israel disappear.

PMW:

At a ceremony marking the 24th anniversary of the founding of Hamas, Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh said that Hamas may work for the "interim objective of liberation of Gaza, the West Bank, or Jerusalem," but that this "interim objective" and "reconciliation" with Fatah will not change Hamas' long-term "strategic" goal of eliminating all of Israel:

"The armed resistance and the armed struggle are the path and the strategic choice for liberating the Palestinian land, from the [Mediterranean] sea to the [Jordan] river, and for the expulsion of the invaders and usurpers [Israel]... We won't relinquish one inch of the land of Palestine."

In his speech, Haniyeh also promised that Hamas will "lead Intifada after Intifada until we liberate Palestine - all of Palestine, Allah willing. Allah Akbar and praise Allah."

Two days later, contradicting Haniyeh's statements, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said that Hamas leader abroad Khaled Mashaal had agreed that:

- "There will be no military resistance."
- "The permanent solution is on the '67 borders."

The Palestinian good cop (Fatah), bad cop (Hamas) routine is wearing very thin. There is not the slightest difference between the strategic objectives of both groups; the elimination of Israel as a nation state. The fact that Hamas is bold enough to say it, while Abbas plays his game of appeasing western sensibilities, is irrelevant.

Either the Palestinians recognize Israel's right to exist - completely, totally, and without caveats - or they will probably get all the war they can handle.