At the al-Filisteen mosque in the Rimal area of Gaza City on Friday, the imam was preaching the necessity of brotherhood and unity. But on the steps after prayers, Hamas's economics minister explained what the conditions for Palestinian unity involved. Senior Hamas officials are demanding that the conditions for reconciliation should include an end to negotiations with Israel and to the peace process, a unity agreement under a banner of "resistance", and continued Hamas control of Gaza.
"Everyone recognises the need for reconciliation among Palestinians," said Abu Rushdi Zaza. "It will happen immediately if the Palestine Liberation Organisation [dominated by Fatah] can be rebuilt. But it must be understood that Hamas is the government. If international institutions want to do rebuilding projects in Gaza, then that is fine - but they must do it under our supervision.
Mahmoud Musleh, a Palestinian legislative council member aligned with Hamas, added: "The organisation that should be talking for the Palestinian people is the PLO. But it has not been speaking. If it does not rehabilitate itself, there will be dramatic changes. At present it does not represent the Palestinian people. They can longer make decisions. They do not own the power."
He continued: "There is a new balance of power emerging. For the first time, through the steadfastness of the resistance in Gaza, we have seen Israel's project halted."
And if one place is the symbol of the destruction wreaked in Gaza, it is the demolished houses of the Samouni family in Zeitoun, a place where the stink of death still seeps from out of the rubble.
A member of the family, who lost his father and his son, asks not to be identified for fear of being beaten by Hamas - as others were during the war - for criticising it. "No one from Hamas has come to offer us help. None of the leaders has been here. We were farmers, not fighters with a militant faction.
He pulls out a crumpled photograph showing a wedding scene. "This was my father. This, my son. After what happened to us here, I hate the name Hamas."
9 comments:
By the way, our friend TickTock or someone who sounds like him is commenting on the I/P threads in the Guardian. He uses the ID Ticktock. He is in good company there. The Guardian is obssessed with Israel. Even before Gaza, they ran 2 to 3 opinion pieces almost daily on every aspect of Israel, mostly negative of course. No fact was too trivial to show Israel in a bad light. Now after the Gaza war, they have just gone bonkers. Everything Hamas says is gospel with the supposedly progressive, anti-racist crowd that runs amok on the CIF site, while Israel is vilified as worse than Hitler, worse than South Africa, etc. The editors are guilty of incitement I think. Nothing good could come out of this obssession.This liberal crowd is demanding no less than Israel's destruction. Last week they published a letter from 400 "distinguished" academics demanding that Israel "must loose" this war. What a strange request!
ruth what do you expect the liberal crowd to do,ie. support the genocide in gaza.israel should be held accountable for the war crimes it committed which was policy not just a few isolated incidents.what happened to the samouni family in zietoun is shocking with 30-40 members forced by the IDF into a house and then bombed in which most died. then across the road with other members of this same family hiding with women and children ,israeli soldiers entered their home and killed most of the family[mainly children] at point blank range.these soldiers then went on spray grafetti-death 2 arabs, 1 down 999 999 to go.but according to the israelis its hamas's fault ,just like this blog states. then you have the phorphous, targeting ambulances, the UN bombing, and israel locking the civillians into a war zone.all NGOs have stated the obvious that israel committed war crimes.
WE DO SEE YOU IN ISRAEL no matter how you justify the inexcusable
Anonymous,
Yes, I expect them to be even handed and not scream genocide everytime Israel kicks the Palestinians butt when they ask for it. Why should I believe Hamas? They are born liars.
You think we are stupid? And why should I believe the "NGOs" like the ISM who were the first ones to spread the rumours? I know their agenda. I will reserve my judgement until the truth comes out. It is already comming out. Heard about the Italian journalist yet? We have been there before. I remember the horror stories coming out of Jenin.At the end, it did not amount to a hill of beans. If the investigations show that crimes were committed , I would expect the IDF to discipline their own. Every time the arabs lose a battle, they scream "genocide". Besides they yearn for death,no? SO why complain? They are all shahids now!
Obama authorized 2 strikes against "terrorists" in Pakistan, 30 civilians died. I bet you don't care.
Anonymous
You may consider using a name. Are you the same person?
In any case who cares, my answer to you is: Whatever makes you feel sanctimonious and right! Who am I to take your illusions away? Go on believing what you want. I heard the lies way way before they became standard western, leftist propalestinian narrative. Arab radio has been awashed in it for 60 years! I am not Israeli. You have your point of view and I have mine. And the twain shall never meet. Why waste your breath. I really don't give a flying f'uck about Sabra and Shatila (ayrab on ayran job) or any other so callled " massacres. One man's massacre is another man's war battle. The Palestinians have the right to resist and Israel has the right to resist their resistance if it impacts on even ONE single person inside Israel. Run along now, there are plenty of sites that will welcome your contribution.
Try PeacePalestinian, they are rabid antizionists or sabbah's blog.
he lost both his father,his son,his house & his living but still he speak under anonymousty
i think hamas is there to stay
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