How Do They Know Which Actions Strengthen The Extremists?

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle seems to know which Israeli measures strengthen extremists:

Germany's foreign minister said during a rare visit to Hamas-ruled Gaza that the Israeli-Egyptian blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians living there is unacceptable and must end.

Guido Westerwelle also said after Monday's tour of a UN school and a German-funded sewage treatment plant that the border closure is strengthening extremists at the expense of moderates.

But if antagonizing the people of Gaza only strengthens the extremists, then why is Westerwelle himself going out of his way to antagonize Gazans in general and Hamas in particular?

A senior Hamas official called Westerwelle's decision not to meet with members of the Hamas leadership during his visit to the strip, "insulting," according to DPA.

"It was completely wrong to come to Gaza and not meet with the legal government's representative," Kamal Shrafi stated.

Of course, at this late date, Hamas is no longer the "legal government representative" of Gaza--no more than Abbas is the legal representative of the West Bank. In both cases their terms of office have expired and elections are overdue--not the kind of political nicety that bothers Obama, but facts are facts.

I would have been more impressed with Westerwelle if he had actually made that point--the kind of point that might actually strengthen the moderates, wherever they may be.

Technorati Tag: Guido Westerwelle and Gaza and Hamas.