Rocket Man

Qassam rockets will not end the occupation. They will only invite a more aggressive Israeli military response. After a number of Gazans were killed on a beach by reportedly Israeli strikes, the Hamas affiliated attacks have escalated. As brutal as the occupation is, these types of attacks do not in any way support the Palestinian cause - if anything they hurt it.

Israel's security argument in international circles is what drives its ability to continue with these policies, in contravention of its international obligations.

Hamas, which has faced sanctions since being elected, only hurts their own public standing abroad by not being able to rein in their constituencies so that a more measured response could be taken. Israel has also actively created the conditions for a weakened Palestinian Authority without an adequate security apparatus.

Hamas needs to officially declare a non-violent approach to ending the occupation, rather than playing in to Israeli strategic interests.

By not responding reflexively, they will push Israel's hand and gain much more public support in ending the brutal occupation policies that presently exist in the long term.

Israel must also take responsibility for the killing of innocent civilians in its military escapades in the name of security. In the past 24 hours, 14 Palestinians have been killed and 36 injured. There have been 54 rocket hits on the Israeli town of Sderot in the past 72 hours in response.

Senior Kadima official told Haaretz that democratically elected leaders of Hamas including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh could be targeted for assassination. Only in Israel are targeted assassinations part of mainstream public discourse.

This is madness.