Dear Hamas,

I write to you from thousands of miles away; for that you may choose to ignore, or you may choose to listen, in the end it is up to you. But I know I speak for many people when I say the words that will follow.

The illegal military occupation of Palestine by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IDF), the ethnic cleansing of Palestine that is underway, the de-facto state of apartheid that exists and the crimes against humanity being carried out against the people of Palestine are matters that engender much rage; and deservedly so. But one thing must be made abundantly clear:

The rockets do not help.

By firing these rockets indiscriminately into Israeli territory, you are not merely providing the Israeli Hasbara with excuses they can then pass on to complicit mainstream media outlets in the western world (most notably the US), but you are also bringing yourself down to the same abhorrent level as the occupation forces against whom you claim to fight.  Enough is enough.

There are millions of people - in Europe and the US - who feel great sympathy to the cause of Palestinian freedom. The similarities between the political views of people like Thomas Paine, James Connolly, and Yasser Arafat do not go unnoticed.  However, as long as you continue firing rockets indiscriminately into Israel, we find it difficult to garner additional support from those who follow the mainstream media, a media who give an incredible amount of coverage to the "pain and suffering" caused by the rockets, or more accurately the "fear" of those rockets (Israel's propaganda is well funded and, when it comes to rockets, extremely effective).

I understand why you fire the rockets.  I am a product of a Catholic family from Derry, Northern Ireland.  I understand - better than most - how it makes you feel better to be able to get back at those who are abusing you.  But the cause of Palestinian Freedom is too important for you to sacrifice it for your own good feeling.

If you truly wish you help secure an end to the abuse of Palestine by the right-wing zealots who control the Israeli government, stop with the rockets.  The next shipment of supplies to come through a tunnel into Gaza should be cameras.

Yes, you read that right.  Forget the rockets - bring in cameras.

There are groups with an incredible technical knowledge and sympathy for the cause of the oppressed, such as Telecomix, Occupy, and Anonymous, who specialize in the wide distribution of information.  The unjustifiable collective punishment of the people of Palestine could be that information.  As much factual evidence as can be provided from the other side of that godforsaken wall that makes Gaza the world's largest prison would be of assistance in this matter.

Some weeks ago a cry for help was put out across the internet, for those of us who support the BDS movement.  As much assistance as could be given was asked for - and rightly so.  But those of us who believe wholeheartedly in freedom for Palestine are not helped by your self-serving make-you-feel-good-for-retaliating though otherwise counter-productive rockets fired into Israel.

Stop the rockets.  Send us as much camera evidence as you can.  We will turn the tables on Hasbara.

-Patrick

cc #opIsrael #Anonymous @Telecomix @WikiLeaks