Another reminder of a bit of quite recent "historical fact".

2004-05

The Israeli Government wanted to make concessions to the Palestinians. So they resolved to withdraw the entire Israeli presence from the Gaza Strip, bordering the Sinai Peninsula, neighbouring Egypt. They had forcibly to evict the inhabitants of some settlements who declined to leave voluntarily, and rehouse them in other parts of Israel ~~ not entirely to their delight!

Then they left Gaza to govern itself. So the Palestinian population organised and held free elections.

And who did they elect to govern them?

Why, Hamas -- who else?

With results that we are all on about here.

Honest, now, if you were the Knesset, or any member of the population of Israel, what lessons would you draw from that sequence of events?

Just asking --

≈M≈