Fed baseless propaganda for years about Palestinians “right-of-return” to Israel, Hamas continues to promote violence on the Israeli-Gaza border. Years of incompetence and corruption has left the Gaza Strip in ruins, largely because Hamas continues to promote armed conflict with Israel. Hamas’s 56-year-old leader Ismail Haniyeh routinely encourages Gazans to crash through Israel’s southern border an retake their lost land. Hamas never mentions to Gaza residents that Israel is a U.N.-recognized state, just celebrating its 70th anniversary May 14. It’s been nearly 69 years since the U.N. officially recognized Israel’s sovereignty, given the British mandate of Palestine by the United Kingdom in 1948. Before the British owned Palestine, the Ottoman Empire controlled the territory for nearly 500 years, until losing the territory after the Treaty of Versailles Nov. 1, 1922.

While local Arabs lived in Ottoman and British controlled Palestine before 1948, those Arabs had no sovereign territory. Yet Hamas insists that the U.N.-mandated state of Israel is illegitimate, urging its citizens to take back their land. When Zionists received the British Mandate in Palestine, the area was a desert wasteland, with virtually no industry, no stock market no agriculture and no thriving real estate market. Israel ranks as the world’s 33rd largest economy, with a Gross Domestic Product of $33.7 billion, just under Ireland and above South Africa. Gaza’s Hamas rulers run a failed economy because they’re continuously at war with Israel, seeking Israel’s destruction. While they have no means other that wrecking Gaza, Hamas continues to feed its people utter nonsense about crashing through Israel’s security fence and taking back their land.

Yasser Arafat, who founded the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] May 28, 1964, believed in armed struggle against Israel. Arafat worked tirelessly promoting the PLO’s cause of toppling Israel, fighting at least two major wars in 1967 and 1973. Arafat worked 24/7 with Egypt—and five other Arab states—to destroy Israel, only to watch their efforts crash-and-burn June 10, 1967 in the Six Day War. Arafat tried again in the 1973 Yom Kippur War with the same results. Unable to dislodge Israel, Arafat encouraged a variety of terror groups to fight a guerrilla war with Israel, including Hamas. Hamas was formed by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in 1987 to help Arafat fight a guerrilla war against Israel. Since Israel assassinated Yassin March 22, 2004, Hamas has continued its guerrilla war against Israel, telling its citizens to crash through Israel’s border fence.

Since Hamas started its March of Return March 30, 124 Palestinians have been killed, over 600 injured setting fires, firing live ammunition and trying to break through Israel’s border fence. Israel has warned Gazans to stay clear of the border fence or face Israeli Defense Forces’ live fire. Arab groups protest Israel’s “excessive force,” saying nothing about Hamas infiltrators tossing Molotov Cocktails and shooting at the IDF across the border. “There is no such state called Israel that could have a capital called Jerusalem,” said Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, insisting the protests will continue until Palestinians return to their ancestral lands in Israel. With that kind of nonsense, it’s no wonder Gazans continue to lose their lives. Gaza’s leader Yahya Sinwar believes the more civilian deaths, the more publicity for the Palestinians cause.

Instead of Palestinian officials whipping up more anti-Israeli sentiment, the U.N. should remind Palestinians that Israel is a sovereign state. Any discussion about Palestinian rights or demands must come from direct peace talks with Israel. Ramallah-based PLO Chairman 83-year-old Mahmoud Abbas broke off diplomatic relations Dec. 24, 2017 with the U.S. when President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem Dec. 23, 2017 as Israel’s capital. Since then, Palestinians have been violently protesting. Trump has told Abbas that he’s ready to broker a peace deal, much like he’s doing June 12 in North Korea. So far, Abbas and Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh have regressed to violence—something they know will get them nowhere. Trump’s told Abbas to get back to the peace table or accept the reality that for the last 51 years, Israeli has controlled Jerusalem.

Telling Gaza residents to tear down Israeli’s security fence and reclaim their ancestors’ land, Hamas and the PLO sacrifice more beleaguered Palestinians for PR. Abbas and Haniyeh haven’t accepted that Palestinians are low on the food chain in today’s Middle East. With Iran running amok in Syria and Yemen and with Iran backing Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, the U.S. and other Mideast nations have changed their priorities. Even Egypt’s President Abel Fattah el-Sisi has no patience for Hamas’ ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, actively trying to topple his Cairo government. Staging Right-of-Return protests in Gaza to sacrifice more Palestinians, Hamas and the PLO show their desperation. Letting Gaza and Ramallah slide into chaos, Palestinians can no longer blame only Israel for their misery, needing to hold their leaders accountable.