In tandem to its editorial opposition to Israel’s action, the Tribune has devoted an enormous quantity of text and pictures to the 400 Hamas extremists who were expelled. It has been long on description of their living conditions in Lebanon and on the criticisms of Israel that have been voiced.
But it is not responsible journalism to not tell the Tribune’s readers what that Hamas organization stands for. Its 36-article Charter of Allah is no secret document. Among other things, it calls for jihad to conquer all of Palestine for Muslim rule; it rejects Israel’s right to exist and calls on Muslims to kill Jews anywhere they are found. In point of fact, it was just such a murder, for which the organization took credit, that provoked the expulsion in the first place.
Reasonable people might think expulsion a very tame punishment for activists of such a group. Most nations at war-and Israel is in that status-deal with their internal enemies far more severely without anyone thinking twice about it. If we were in Israel’s place, I doubt that we’d be as merciful.
