Billions of brain cells fizzled out nationwide as the cast of The View attempted to enlighten the public on the nuances of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Co-host Sunny Hostin made the argument that Israel was issuing collective punishment against the Palestinians with their new war against Hamas – but oddly didn’t think the Palestinians were inflicting collective punishment on Israelis when Hamas members paraglided into a music festival and committed mass rape and murder.
She then attempted to defend Gazans on the basis that they didn’t elect the terrorist government that they elected: “I understand the anger that there is there, but we need to also recognize that the Palestinians that are there now that are descendants of refugees have not had a democratic election since 2007.. They did not vote in these people – [they did not] currently vote in Hamas.
So ridiculous was this talking point that even Joy Behar was able to refute it, chiming in “that’s because of Hamas.”
The last election for the Palestinian National Authority was in January of 2006, in which Hamas took in 44.45% of the vote, giving them 74 of the 132 seats in the Palestinian Legislature (of which 67 are needed for a majority). No new elections have been held since Hamas defeated Fatah in a battle for control of the Gaza strip in 2007.
A poll in 2021 found that 59% of Gazans are satisfied with the performance of the Hamas government, and 47% support Hamas’ use of violence as their primary method of resistance. For reference, the only U.S. president since John F. Kennedy to average a 59% approval rating or higher was George W. bush, largely owed to an unprecedented surge in support following the 9/11 attacks.
