Why must the mean Zionists cause rolling blackouts in the Gaza Strip? Well first of all they don't. Hamas is shutting down their generators for the same reason they always do - they're upset that Israel is making them choose between using fuel for civilian infrastructure or using fuel for terrorism operations. Usually Israel gives them more than enough for both. But after a half a month of nearly daily rocket attacks - helpfully illustrated on Elder's nifty new calendar - Barak would like them to choose just one.

Hamas's choice? Cut the fuel to hospitals first. Because why not? There's enough fuel for Islamic Jihad terrorists to get right up to the border. There's enough fuel for Hamas to launch multiple attacks against the IDF throughout the weekend. But there's not enough fuel for the hospitals that Hamas already steals fuel from. It's an unavoidable, Israeli created humanitarian crisis!

Result: under heavy EU pressure and after the UN threatened to internationally create their own crisis by withholding food from Gaza residents, Israel renewed fuel shipments. Sure the EU and UN could have asked Hamas to use Israeli-provided energy resources for something other than terror operations against Israel. But that wouldn't have the same kind of surreal, terrorist-enabling, Israel-demonizing ethos to it. And then where would we be?

Incidentally, isn't this supposed to be Egypt's problem by now?

References:
* New Data Confirms Old Data: Blaming Israel For Gaza's Medical Collapse Is A Vicious Lie [MR]
* November "cease fire" calendar [Elder]
* Hamas: Power cuts to residents, hospitals if no shipments by noon [JPost]
* Shelling of western Negev continues [JPost]
* Hamas Launching Dozens Of Rockets From Palestinian Neighborhoods, Attacking Israeli Troops (Plus: US Announces $14 Million In New Aid) [MR]
* Hamas Intentionally Creating Humanitarian Crises In Gaza By Stealing Fuel From Hospitals For Their "Operations" Against Israel [MR]
* Israel: Gaza blackouts are Hamas propaganda [YNet]
* UN: Gaza food aid to halt if Israel keeps crossings closed [Ha'aretz]
* Israel to allow some fuel into Gaza Strip [JPost]
* Egypt agrees to take over as Gaza power supplier [Ha'aretz]

Previously:
* Palestinians Shut Down Generator To Create Gaza Humanitarian Crisis, UN Blames Israel
* Hamas Creates Humanitarian Crisis By Stealing Fuel For Terrorism, Preventing Israeli Gas Shipments, And Cutting Off Gaza Civilians. Again. (Plus: International Press, Human Rights Groups Blame Israel. Again)
* Palestinians Intentionally Creating Humanitarian Crises In Gaza By Refusing To Accept Israeli Fuel