I understand that it's neither fashionable nor sophisticated to hold non-Western populations accountable for the decisions they make or the people they elect. But as the well-prepared media bias begins to roll out over the next couple news cycles, it's worth remembering that Gaza Palestinians have been electorally empowering these cretins for the better part of a decade:

everal Hamas officials have said they are not concerned with the possibility their organization's top leaders in Gaza could be assassinated by Israel. Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri is one of the Hamas officials who are downplaying the impact such assassinations would have upon the militant Palestinian organization... "In the past, Israel killed (Hamas founder and spiritual leader) Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and (Yassin's successor) Abdel Aziz Rantisi and that didn't have any effect on Hamas," al-Masri said. Another Hamas spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, added that those Hamas leaders who likely would be targeted are equally unconcerned with such threats. "The Hamas leaders are on the front line in the battle against the Israeli occupation," Barhoum told the Post. "As such, they are not afraid of joining the bandwagon of martyrs."

In the last few days they've bragged about wanting martyrdom even as they scurried underground. They brazenly threatened to respond to Israeli self-defense with suicide bombings even as they openly mocked Israeli restraint:

Hamas on Wednesday remained as defiant as ever and said it would continue to fire rockets at Israel as an act of "self-defense." Hamas also mocked what it described as the "state of confusion" in Israel over how to react to the latest spree of rocket and mortar attacks... "Israel will pay a heavy price for its crimes against the Palestinians," said Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum. "Israel's actions enhance our determination to pursue the path of resistance through all means available." Barhoum said that Hamas has placed all its security forces and militias on high alert to thwart an IDF invasion of the Gaza Strip. The armed wing of Hamas, Izzadin Kassam, said it would not be deterred by Israel's threats of a military operation. The group also threatened to expand the range of its rockets and missiles so that they would reach more Israeli communities.

Again: I know it's gauche. But at what point do we start blaming warmongers for starting wars?

References:
* Rocket barrages from Hamas: The Blame Israel Media steps up [Yourish]
* Assassination fears not influencing Hamas [UPI]
* Hamas goes into hiding in Gaza [YNet]
* Hamas: Our leaders do not fear death [JPost]
* Hamas: If Israel launches Gaza op, we'll renew suicide bombings [JPost]
* Hamas mocks Israel's nonresponse to Kassams [JPost]

Previously:
* Syria Pretty Psyched About Their Obama-Era Negotiating Position [MR]
* Israeli Intel: Hamas Military Buildup "Most Intensive In Modern History" [MR]
* Palestinian Soldiers Prostrate Themselves Before Altar Of Holy Missiles [MR]