I have been reading an enormous amount of articles recently about the strange situation in Gaza. All condemn Israeli authorities for recent happenings. Unfortunately, it’s only one side of the story.
After collective sanctions had been put in place by Israel, on Hamas and their supporters in Gaza, the humanitarian situation within Gaza worsened. While food was running out, the daily missiles (Kassam rockets) flying into Sederot, a village within the Green line, didn’t stop for a day. Sponsored by Iran, Hamas has no money for bread, but plenty of financial resources for artillery. Hamas has not only jailed its own people, but also the 20,000 Israeli’s living in Sederot, who can’t go to work or send their children to school without fear of the next incoming rocket.
Within Gaza, Hamas is doing whatever they wish. There is chaos to say the least, blended with ongoing efforts of the Hamas, a terror organization, to establish a Terroristan State while brutally controlling the lives of 1.2 million people. Hamas wants to separate the Gaza strip from Palestinian Authority control to better suit their national interest. The group aim was to establish the first terrorist state. Whatever Hezbollah failed to accomplish in south Lebanon, despite constant attempts over the last 18 years, Hamas is now ready to succeed where Hezbollah could not. The organization’s leadership doesn’t care about the lives of Palestinian’s, nor does it aim to solve their problem.
The question is why the world would express solidarity with Hamas? Why is Egypt ready to negotiate with terrorists? Why is the European Council ready to send European forces back to the border and why are they even thinking about collaborating with Hamas soldiers guarding the gates to Rapah (across the Egpytian borders)? Because they all fall into the trap designed by the Hamas leaders. It’s easy to support the underdog.
At last, Zahar (Hamas spokesman) thinks the exploitation of the Palestinian people and their problems resulting from his terror group, which was ignored by the leaders of major Arab nations, has paid off. The brain-washing worked. The hatred in the education system and social government, which taught children in the first grade to hate any Western symbol, finally succeeded in getting the world’s support and consolidation towards their cause.
Hamas has interest in the ongoing conflict; it’s served its interest. The paradox is that the Palestinian people elected Hamas leaders and recently increased their support for the group. Negotiating with the Hamas leaders would mean a recognition of their power and it would only worsen the problem.
Many scholars showed that Gaza’s economy could be independent. There are a number of projects which could be easily implemented, financed, and controlled by the right people. But with the Hamas government in place, such projects froze. Electric power to Gaza is not a problem either. Israel’s electric power plant provides only 30% of the energy to Gaza. By the way, the same electric plant was, and still is, a major target for the Kassam rockets, which in one incident hit an army base just 1 mile away from the plant’s closed zone.
Israeli forces left Gaza in 2005, in a step which would enhance the Fatah Party’s (led by current president Abu Abbas) control over the area. However, a year later, Hamas took over that very area. Any other country in the world would interfere in such a case and would work to restore the old order. In this case, this is Israel’s last, undesirable step.
2 Comments
Oren, really appreciate the insight you bring with your first hand knowledge of the region. It gives us all a perspective we can never truly understand.
Brainwashing is a scary thing. I can’t imagine how any Palestinian could think that continuing terror tactics could actually advance their cause. Or did Hamas make them think they’d do otherwise? And is Fatah fading in influence because they are pro-Western?