It’s open season on mocking Hamas lately. Israel’s discovery
of a tunnel the terrorist movement had dug along the border is widely
seen as an example of the impotence of a group that seems to be running
out of credibility as fast as they are running out of cash. The millions
of foreign aid money expended as well as the concrete intended for
civilian use employed in building a structure aimed at executing a
terrorist attack across the Israeli border is a symbol of the group’s
priorities. But the fact that Israel’s military reportedly had been
aware of the project and let Hamas go ahead and finish it before
exposing the scheme makes it look as if there’s no doubt about which
side of the struggle has the upper hand. Combine that with the fact that
Hamas is still reeling from the fall from power of their Muslim
Brotherhood allies in Egypt and the closing of the border and smuggling
tunnels that linked Gaza to the Sinai and there’s little question that
the Islamists are in genuine trouble.
So it’s little wonder that Hamas chose this weekend to make a big
deal out of the anniversary of their last victory over Israel: the
ransoming of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit with the release of
more than a thousand Arab terrorists. Hamas Prime Minister Ismail
Haniyeh spoke yesterday to remind Palestinians
of this feat and to speak of the latest surge in violence against Jews
in the West Bank as evidence that his movement is by no means as
isolated as its critics believe. As beleaguered as they may be, the
Islamists clearly seem to think they are just one kidnapping of an
Israeli away from being back in the catbird seat in Palestinian
politics. But whether they are able pull such a crime off in the near
future or not, those discounting Hamas’ impact on the future of
Israeli-Arab coexistence need to take a deep breath. The pressure being
exerted on it in the West Bank by Fatah security cooperation with Israel
is a real blow to the Islamists and their cash shortfall is harming
their ability to keep a lid on their Gaza stronghold. But anyone who
thinks this gives Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas the leeway
he needs to cut any sort of a peace deal with Israel in the talks
currently being conducted under the aegis of the United States is
forgetting the realities of Palestinian politics.
(Click link below to read more)
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- Judy Chaffee
- This site is the inspiration of a former reporter/photographer for one of New England's largest daily newspapers and for various magazines. The intent is to direct readers to interesting political articles, and we urge you to visit the source sites. Any comments may be noted on site or directed to KarisChaf at gmail.
Monday, October 21, 2013
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