ANDY McCARTHY: Hamas on the Gaza Withdrawal

Hamas, has been making great strides in its quest for political acceptance in Gaza and the West Bank – with no small thanks to the Palestinian Authority’s invitation to it to join the government and the Bush administration’s conflicting signals about whether it should be regarded as a ruthless terrorist organization that must be dismantled or a political opposition group that should be dealt with.Now its military leader, Muhammad Deif, has issued a statement which sums up Hamas's take on the Gaza withdrawal. As the New York Times reports: "Today you have left the hell of Gaza in shame but have not gotten out completely, as you continue to occupy Palestine," said Mr. Deif, whose face is in shadow as he spoke in his hallmark deep voice and identified himself by name. "We tell the Zionists who have tarnished our soil, we tell you that all of Palestine will become a hell." The rest of the Times report is here.