Kucinich Sides With Hamas Terrorists, Again!

Kucinich Sides With Hamas Terrorists, Again

Kucinich Declares Israel , Not Hamas, Is Responsible for Crisis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FRIDAY JULY 18, 2008

CONTACT:
JIM TRAKAS
216-621-5418 OR 216-534-6347

( INDEPENDENCE ) In a letter to President George W. Bush (link here) dated July 16, 2008, Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-10) of Cleveland absolves Hamas of responsibility for exploding tensions with Israel in the Gaza region, viewing blame cast in the direction of Hamas, “troubling.” Kucinich argued, “The responsibility for beginning and ending the humanitarian crisis is certainly not Hamas’s.”

Former State Representative Jim Trakas, candidate for Congress in Ohio ’s 10th District stated, “What is troubling is that Congressman Kucinich does not consider terrorist behavior as an underlying reason for instability and would not consider an end to such behavior as essential for solving the crisis. Hamas is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to peace in the Middle East .” The Gaza Strip was governed by Israel from 1967-2005. Throughout a series of accords, including the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty, Oslo Accords and Israel ’s unilateral military disengagement in 2005, Israel has shown remarkable tolerance and patience in search of peace in the face of daily calls for its “extermination.” Congressman Kucinich puts the onus on Israel to mediate this crisis, despite its repeated cooperation in ceding land and power in the region, ignoring that Israel had been willing to bargain with the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority.

“Congressman Kucinich advocates a complete reversal of historic and bi-partisan U.S. policy on Israel to support a known terrorist organization. Blaming Israel for the problems in Gaza and exonerating Hamas is inexplicable and alarming,” said Trakas, who visited Israel as an Ohio State Representative in 2000 and saw first hand the bloody work of Hamas and Hezbollah.

Since the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip until the end of January 2008, 697 rockets and 822 mortar bombs were fired at Israeli towns. Additionally, Israeli and Egyptian security reports claim that Hamas continued smuggling in large quantities of explosives and arms from Egypt through tunnels. Egyptian security forces uncovered 60 tunnels in 2007.

Trakas concluded that he and Kucinich share very different visions of the ability to create peace in the Middle East . “If we follow the Kucinich plan, the U.S rewards Hamas for its murderous ways. If Hamas wants the humanitarian crisis to end, all they have to do is cease violence, following the lead of the former Fatah Government in the Palestinian Authority and recognize Israel . The ball has been in Hamas’ court for some time. Congressman Kucinich trusts Hamas despite years of deplorable and unimaginable terror. Israel continues to make concessions and is rewarded with mortar and suicide bombs. The suffering of the people of Gaza lies squarely on the shoulders of the terrorist government. Hamas’ past actions suggest no interest in coexistence, peace or cooperation. Why Congressman Kucinich trusts them is a confounding question.”