New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof was given the editorial space in the paper's June 2 print edition to answer charges from some readers that he was unfair in "criticizing Israel as well as Hamas" in columns on their recent round of fighting.  That he concluded his editorial remarks by implying that Israel was no less guilty of "war crimes" than Hamas, Kristof indicated that he has no little difficulty with the root causes of aggression by Hamas against the Jewish state.

Take a look at Article 30 of the Hamas Charter: 

[M]edia people [among other groups] are ... called upon to play their role and to carry out their duty in view of the wickedness of Zionist invasion, of its penetration in many countries, and its control over material means and the media with all the ramifications thereof in most countries of the world.

Article 30 goes on to explain:

Jihad means not only carrying arms and denigrating the enemies. Writing positive words, writing good articles and useful books, and lending support an existence, all that too is Jihad in the path of Allah, as long as intentions are sincere to make Allah's banner supreme.

Kristof, in defense of his even-handed (let's call it) perspective on the recent aggression by Hamas on the Jewish state, cited sources hostile to Israel and drew up analogies that do not fit the aims of Hamas vis-à-vis Israel.  He cited Pakistani attacks on India; the strife in Northern Ireland between Protestant and Catholics leading to terrorism in Great Britain; "brutal [Basque] terrorist attacks against Spain" — all as cases, Kristof alleged, reflecting "more restraint and wisdom" than those shown by Israel and the United States.

Kristof did not point, in his discordant analogies, to the absence of charters committed to the eradication of India, or of Great Britain, or of Spain.  Indeed, Kristof made no reference at all to the Hamas Charter.  What could explain such a serious example of neglect other than extreme callousness to imperiled Jews?  Kristof's omissions extended to his failure to acknowledge to his readers that Hamas makes a practice of firing missiles into civilian areas of Israel, missiles that are fired in the midst of the civilian population of Gaza, to give media jihadists (like Kristof?) the excuse to accuse Israel of killing civilians in Gaza and, therefore, being guilty of "war crimes."  The truth is, Israel strives mightily to avoid killing civilians; it is Hamas that puts its civilians in harm's way, expecting that its media jihadists will denounce Israel.

In his column, Kristof accused Washington of taking a "myopic" view of "the origins of Hamas shelling [of civilian areas of Israel]."  To make this assertion, he had to lie about a property dispute in East Jerusalem, based on the refusal of Palestinian residents to pay rent to Israeli landlords.  Kristof cited the false allegation by an "Israeli human rights lawyer" that this was a transfer-intended "eviction."  This, arguably, amounts to lying by hearsay.

The overriding question for Kristof: "Why did you not cite the rabid anti-Jewish sections of the Hamas Charter in your (lame) editorial response to criticism from readers?"

Here are some of the references to Jews, Israel, and Zionism in the Hamas Charter — all of which Kristof ignored.

In what amounts to a prologue, the following appears: "Israel will rise and will remain erect until Islam eliminates it as it had eliminated its predecessors."

The Introduction to the Hamas Charter declares that the Islamic Resistance movement joins with jihadists "for the purpose of liberating Palestine."  The Introduction goes on to aver, "Our struggle against the Jews is extremely wide-ranging and grave, so much so that it will need all the loyal effort we can wield ... until the enemies are defeated and Allah's victory prevails."  Hey, Kristof: Note the reference to "the Jews," not to Zionists or Israelis.

Article I of the charter announces that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is the Palestinian wing of the Muslim Brotherhood.

We find in Article 7 this example of lethal imagery, calling for the time when "Muslims fight the Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees; which will cry: O Muslim, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him!"

Article Eleven expresses the belief that for generations, Palestine has been "an Islamic Waqf" and will continue so "until the Day of Resurrection."

Article 13 declares "peaceful solutions ... to resolve the Palestinian problem ... contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement."  This article goes on: "For removing any part Palestine means removing part of the religion[.]"  Kristof's implication that Israel should sue Hamas for peace flies right into this inconvenient, for Kristol, part of Article 13: "There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad."  (And we have seen in the charter's Article 30 that "media people" have a role in jihad against Israel.)

In Article 14: All Muslims have a duty to liberate "that land."  Hey, Kristof, Hamas is not here referring to Spain.

In Article 15: "In order to face the usurpation of Palestine by the Jews, we have no escape from raising the banner of Jihad."

Skipping to Article 28: "Israel, by virtue of being Jewish and of having a Jewish population, defies Islam and the Muslims."

This blatant lie appears in Article 31: "Hamas is a humane movement which cares for human rights."  No wonder human rights "activists" are enamored of Hamas.  (Article 31 also refers to "Nazi Zionist practices against our people."  But isn't the use of its own civilians as hostages to its anti-Israel aggression a Nazi-like practice?)

What would an anti-Jewish tract be without its assertion of a Jewish global conspiracy?  This appears in Article 32:

"World Zionist and Imperialist forces have been attempting, with smart moves and considered planning, to push the Arab countries, one after another, out of the circle of conflict with Zionism, in order, ultimately, to isolate the Palestinian People."  Egypt, in this article, is denounced for having agreed to "the treacherous Camp David Accords."

What's a hardcore anti-Jewish tract without the following assertion, also in Article 32?  "Their scheme has been laid out in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion."  Hey, Kristof, do you deny that the "Protocols" were forged by anti-Jewish operatives, as an anti-Jewish diversion under an anti-Jewish Russian tsar?

The Charter includes four more articles, numbering 36 in toto.  The foregoing references should convince any person of goodwill that demands on Israel to negotiate with Hamas are demands that Israel accepts the principle of nonexistence and agree with Hamas that Israel must be replaced by an Islamic "Waqf."

One further reflection, on the call, in Article 30, on "media people" to serve as jihadists against Israel by writing Hamas-favorable columns and books. It follows that all those who rush to denounce Israel for defending herself against Hamas aggression should also pin, on their blouses or lapels, buttons saying: "I'm a jihadist for Hamas, and proud of it."

Image: Adam Jones via Flickr (cropped).

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.