We need to redefine sovereignity a little better.

Why is is that it takes an old-time Kreigsgeritchtraeter* to point these things out?

Either The jailhouse outfits over there are bandit operations which fall short of sovereignity, which is the generous construction, or, if they are really in charge of their territories, they are responsible for what goes on there.

Think now, if the Palestinian entity which appears to have resolved this minor matter could always have done so, it is a fiction to hold that they were not all along responsible for its continuation. Really, a simple review of the Tripolitanian hostage crisis of the 1800's should enlighten us in this regard.

Carry the thought forward to the Iran hostage crisis, exacerbated by Carter's asquiescence and ended,we bewieve, by Reagan's correct application of the principles of international law.

A pity, what cowardice and squeamishness do to the mind.
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*"Law-of-War advisor"--what the Germans called their Judge Advocates.

Hamas is establishing sovereignty despite Western attempts to deny it. Part of doing so is putting down gangs like this one. If you act like the sovereign you are.

Jimmy Carter didn't act like one. Iran did.

Arafat acted like a sovereign (albeit a weak, despotic one) - he played the terror groups off each other, he took what he wanted from the treasury, he alternately pretended to be dynamic and impotent, he took advantage of weak foreigners, and he maintained his narrative until he died.

If Hamas can pick up the garbage and feed the children, perhaps they can exceed Arafat's skill at sovereignty. But it will all come down to the rockets. They have to let go of the rockets. And the hoods - real sovereigns don't hide their faces.

If they just remain one of the gangs, even the chief gang, they will have only the sovereignty of the hooded gangster.

Arafat hid in a shell of a building while foes ran roughshod. He was terrified of sovereignty which is why he refused to accept a state.