Letter to Gaza: Did I misunderstand you?

[Jack's latest (#9.5) is here.]
[New: Jack now has Update #10 available here.]

Dear Citizens of Gaza,

This is harsher than my usual fare, and I apologize, but after so many days of reading such absurd anti-Israel hypocrisy, I'm about fed up.

1) First you tried to kill us by sending suicide bombers. You recruited teenagers and mothers, even developmentally disabled people, and sent them to kill themselves in an attempt to blow up my family.

I thought I understood what you were saying - that your lives are cheap, and you would gladly give them up in order to fight Israel.


2) Then we decided that rather than fight with you, we would leave Gaza altogether. You could have it. Acres and dunams of land, buildings, greenhouses, roads, infrastructure, whatever you like. We evicted thousands of Jews from their homes, and turned those homes over to you. But rather than capitalize on your new wealth, you destroyed it. Something about making a point, I think, but it was hard to hear what you were saying over the sounds of your celebratory gunfire.

I thought I understood what you were saying - that your lives are cheap, your chance at wealth and a free life to be given away in war with us.


3) Then you elected a Hamas government that declared outright that it would never accept a State of Israel on a single square centimeter of land in "Palestine." You would rather fight to the death.

I thought I understood you: You wanted to fight to the death, and that's why you elected these guys.


4) Then you kidnapped Gilad Shalit, and told us that if we wanted him back, we would have to turn over 500 terrorists. Or maybe it was 400. Or maybe it was 1000. I forget; the numbers kept changing.

I thought I understood the basic offer, though: 500 Gazan lives for 1 Israeli life.


5) Then you invited Israel to come invade. You said you would gladly give your lives in battle.

I thought that was pretty clear, too. You said you were willing to die. There may have been something in there about virgins, or raisins, or something; my Arabic isn't as good as it used to be.


So let's review:
1) You send suicide bombers to kill yourselves fighting us.
2) You destroy the wealth we give you, in order to make a statement about us.
3) You elect a government that pledges eternal war against us.
4) You say that one Israeli life is worth five hundred Gazan lives.
5) You invite us to invade.

That made me think you would be thrilled to see us come over there. So why all the crying and tears?

What did you think was going to happen when you said and did all of those things?

I think perhaps we should accept your bargain. 500 terrorists for every Israeli life. So we should count up every Israeli killed at the hands of Hamas so far, and then take 500 of yours for each one. You drive a hard bargain, but you've got yourself a deal.

Sincerely yours.