Israel canvassing for Hamas

Here's a report in today's Independent showing how Israel's "retaliation" boosts the popularity of Palestinian armed groups; in this instance, Hamas.

Mohammed Abu Tir, number two on Hamas's national list of parliamentary candidates, had arrived in good time to pay his condolences to the dead 24-year-old's tearful brother Ziad. As the January rain began to fall, they kissed three times before Ziad Ayyadeh, 36, declared: "It is a positive thing because people now will vote for Hamas."

The Israeli army claims that Thabet Ayyadeh was killed whilst trying to shoot his way out of an attempt to arrest him in Tulkarem.