Hamas, Take your hands off the people!
Try to talk privately to any young independent citizen in Gaza now, he/she would have a lot to say to express their resentment and embitterness towards what is going on here and towards those who unfortunately have the fates of the Palestinian people in their hands and doing nothing good for them… by this I mean both Hamas and Fatah. Never did they care about the well being of the people. It has been unwaveringly proven to the people that the only thing they care about is themselves and the interests of their parties.
Hamas isn’t any different from Fatah but with its funding. Hamas use the funds it gets from Iran and the Islamic groups in the Gulf states to strengthen its grip on Gaza Strip and to strike with an iron fist on any one tries to oppose its ways. Hadn’t she gone to power and captured Gilad Shalit, the Gazans would be free to go wherever they want. The fuel, gas, food and medicine supplies would be abundant; the 300 patients who passed away wouldn’t be denied treatment and would have lived more among their loves. The unemployment rate wouldn’t reach 80 % of the population in Gaza making thousands of families beg for food coupons from Hamas or the UNRWA. Gaza wouldn’t sink in darkness every day because the power plant is without fuel to operate. 40 % of the young men and women, as according to polls, wouldn’t seriously think and plan for immigration to other countries looking for jobs and a better life. More than 500 Palestinians have been killed and roughly 3000 others have been injured in sporadic Israeli incursions ever since Gilad Shalit was captured and the number is likely to increase in the next Israeli incursions. What did we get in return? Nothing but more suffering and grievous hearts.
When would we get to realize that we are fighting in a losing battle because all the Arab regimes that are supposed to support the helpless Palestinian people have given up on us and are now so satisfied with the existence of Israel in the region and have rather grown bonds of friendship and business with Israel, they even no longer even dare to condemn the Israeli actions in Gaza or the West Bank. To the Arab regimes, the Palestinians are the only obstacle to a full public normalization with Israel . Both Israel and the Arab regimes wish they would wake up one day and find all the Palestinians have been thrown into Gaza sea. True to this, Egypt is collaborating with Israel in tightening the siege on Gaza people for no good reason. I think we do know all this and act a blind eye and a deaf ear because the suffering of the Palestinian people also makes good business for some of us. What a shame!! Unlike all now free peoples that have fought to gain their independence, we fight to trade our blood for tremendous amounts of money from countries or groups with interests in the region. Seems like good business?
One would say the Palestinian factions need funds to enable themselves to fight. It is true but there is something called higher national interests that must rise above the agendas’ of the money giver. Our higher national interests must be our guide as to how and when to fight. But in our case, the orders to escalate the situation come from above regardless of the fatal consequences on part of the Palestinian innocent people. They say this is honorable Jihad!! Where the honor is in causing the death of hundreds of innocent civilians for nothing in return? We have been doing this “jihad” for the last 60 years. What have we achieved? Didn’t we learn the lesson yet? Won’t we ever change our ways? Or maybe we like the view of our people’s blood streams running before our eyes!!
Ever since Hamas went to power the Palestinian people’s living conditions are from bad to worse with every day because it is internationally recognized as a terrorist group and can’t be endorsed as part of the world system without renouncing violence and recognizing Israel and therefore a tight siege has been imposed on Gaza Strip. Hamas says it can’t conform to the conditions of the international community to be recognized by it because they go against its principles and charter. No one is asking Hamas to give up on its principles and charter but for God’s sake for the people’s sake step down and let the people live a normal life since there is no way to change the world and make it accept Hamas as it is. If this is said to Hamas leaders and spokesmen, there answer would be as follows; Do you want us to renounce Jerusalem ? Do you want us to renounce the Palestinian refugee’s right to return? Do you want us to let the Israelis take the land? As if Fatah has renounced Jerusalem or the right of return or the land. As if Israel doesn’t already have Jerusalem and the rest of the land and as if Israel would ever allow the refugees to return to their homeland. Every thing they say is just an excuse to stay in power which they have fought long years to seize from Fatah, its long-life rival.
Join the Conversation
Thank you Ramzi for your self-critical analysis. As an Israeli citizen, I really hope the lives of people in Gaza (and the rest of Palestinians and Israelis) improve. We need to stop thinking in these violent ways and look for solutions that work for everyone.
Very interesting article. I’m going to submit this to the Watcher of Weasels Council so they can share it with others.
Debbie Hamilton
Right Truth
It is hard for me, having been born in Israel, and now living comfortably in America, to imagine the suffering that you and your people are going through, Ramzy.
I know that you don’t think much of some of Israel’s policies, and I have to admit that Israel could be doing a hell of a lot more to promote peace, but I do believe that under the right circumstances, Israel will not only cut a deal with Palestine, but will do more than any other nation on earth to help Palestinians achieve a better quality of life. Israelis and Jews are naturally inclined toward peace, hard as that may be to believe.
The obstacles are many. You point to several in your article. In the first place, groups like Hamas have placed their ideological imperatives above the welfare of the people. They have done this, in my opinion, because they believe what they say, and because they know that what they say has brought them into power. In short, their beliefs, and their wish to hold on to power, leave very little room for compromise.
And Israel, on the other hand, is very concerned with its security, even to the extent of closing the door on peace, despite the fact that only peace can insure Israel’s survival over the long haul.
So what is the solution? I believe in empowering the man on the street. If ordinary Israelis and Palestinians become inspired with a Vision of Hope, then they will make their will known to their leaders, and even the most stubborn leaders will not be able to withstand the will of the people. The will of the people will not be deterred.
My solution is simple enough. It’s called Selling a Vision of Hope, which consists of five things, like the five fingers of your hand, and like the five fingers of the Hamsa:
1. Ideology: Use a new ideological framework, an Ideology of Common Sense, to speak to one another with common sense and with a sense of personal dignity.
2. Investment: Invest in one another to create green technology jobs which help to neutralize extremist thinking, to protect the environment, and to grow our economies.
3. Hope: Use an Ideology of Common Sense, along with some well placed Investment Dollars, to sell one another on a Vision of Hope, a vision of Peace, Prosperity, and Freedom. Einstein case up with E=mc2. Luckily the formula for world peace is a lot simpler, Ideology plus Investment equals Hope, and with hope, all things are possible, even the impossible dream of peace.
4. Diplomacy: Once you sell a Vision of Hope, you sustain the hope by launching a series of Public Diplomacy Programs which are specifically designed to prop the vision up, and to carry it forward, such as: a program to Empower Women, a Media Campaign, a Student Exchange, a Cultural Exchange, an expanded version of the Peace Corps, and a series of International Conferences on religion, economy, environment, and education.
5. Fight: If you have to fight against the forces of extremism, and you do, then fight, and fight hard, but also position the fight within a Vision of Hope. Raise the fight on the ground to a higher moral plain by giving the fight a moral clarity of purpose. People will fight harder once they know what they’re fighting for. We are not fighting a “war against terror.” We are fighting a war to realize a Vision of Hope. There’s a big difference.
If we can sell a Vision of Hope, then we will beat the extremists at their own game. We will do what they do only better. We will co-opt their strategy and marginzlize them in the eyes of their own people. If they are ideological about violent Jihad, we will be ideological about common sense. If they invest peanuts in charitable handouts, we will invest some serious dollars in jobs. If they sell a vision of hope for martyrdom, or paradise, or virgins, or what have you, we will sell a Vision of Hope for Peace, Prosperity, and Freedom. At every turn, we will cut them off at the pass, and beat them at their own game. In the final analysis, the ideological extremists will not be able to capture the public’s imagination, once people begin to imagine a better life for themselves.
Ramzy, you can see some of these ideas on my website http://www.sellingavisionofhope.org I would be happy to work with you to make some of these things happen. I’m not kidding.
This is cheap Fatah propaganda and nothing else. Mahmoud Abbas and his gang are armed and trained by Israel. They tried to overthrow Hamas which was democratically elected using guns from Egypt, Israel and the US and the Mohamed Dahlan. Now Abbas is supporting the siege of Gaza. It is NOT Hamas fault. This is blaming the victim.
Ahmad it seems that you’re being defensive without even reading the article.
How is this Fatah propoganda if the author says the following:
So criticizng both Fatah and Hamas is apparently “Fatah propaganda?” Your comment just really doesn’t make any sense!
Please refute the article with logic and factual information and not irrelevant emotional remarks.
I don’t doubt that there is a concerted effort underway to undermine Hamas, and that such an effort is being supported by Abbas, Israel, the U.S., Egypt, etc.
The question is why?
True, Hamas was democratically elected. But Hamas stands for ideas that don’t sit well with a lot of people, namely the destruction of Israel, and the imposition of a very strict version of Islam on Muslims in Palestine. They rule with force, and not by popular consent. They stifle public debate and free expression, and are oppressive of women.
When a movement like Hamas seeks to impose its will against the will of the people, what choice do you have but to do what you can to undermine them, and to bring someone else into power? At a certain point, when a government acts against the wishes of the people, over a long and protraced period of time, without any hope for change, it is sometimes necessary to oust that government from power, either by the people themselves, or with outside help.
Pingback: Cheat Seeking Missiles » Recognizing The Worst Of Journalism … And Best Of Blogs
So you don’t want a real democracy, you only want who you like. If its someone that you don’t like then you kill em or try to overthrow them.
Ohh this kind of goes well with why Middle East turning into crap hole after their initial attempt at democracy decades ago, but that time they did elect progressive people. Only mistake was that they elected people who didn’t like foreigners plundering their resources so the countries like the US, UK and France made sure that a dictator was put in place to do their bidding instead of the peoples’.
Now in this case, no one gave Hamas even a chance at governance after they won the election. I don’t care if their charter calls for the destruction of Israel or not, but Gaza and West Bank are theirs. If you want to champion democracy you will give them a chance, if you aren’t then go ahead and do what you want, but don’t talk about democracy.
Main reason Hamas came to power was because the people just couldn’t handle another term with Fatah. Next time around people will elect someone else. It’s called democracy, accept it or stfu and go die or become a authoritarian. From what I seen, people will elect Hamas again because they consider this siege as an Israeli action. I mean Hamas being elected didn’t result in declaring war on some defenseless country and obliteration and destabilization of an entire region for… oil? I mean lets be honest here, they just fire rockets into the homes of people who are occupying their land and killing them every chance they get. Where I come from, its called self-defense. But I know some people have this twisted sense what self-defense is. To them only when they defend themselves its called self-defense but everything else is just… aggression and sometimes just terrorism. I mean last time I checked Israelis consider unloading an entire round into a dead 10 or 12 year old girl was considered self-defense.
I’ll tell you something, Israel really don’t have any right to question the charter of Hamas when Israel is already doing the exact same thing to the Palestinians. I mean Hamas only have a charter, but actually implementing it is another thing. At the same time creation of Israel was done so by destroying the Palestinians who lived their and they keep doing it little by little. Israel refuses to stop the pillaging, capturing and occupying Palestinian land to this very day.
Last time I checked this whole occupation thing and blockade thing is a war crime… nazis right?
PS to all the fucking ignoramuses: I am not an Arab or a Muslim. Don’t assume that I am one and I am a man, man as in I have a penis NOT a vagina. Ok now its your turn.
Jina, I’m going to take you at your word as to your gender. You have nothing to prove to me.
Just because someone is elected does not give him carte blanche to do what he wants. In the normal scheme of things, if he does something the people don’t approve of, he can be voted out of office. Under special circumstances, if he steps on enough toes internationally, then external political pressure can be brought to bear to oust him.
There is self-defense Jina, and there is self-defense. You may be an aggrieved party, but that does not give you the right to fire missles into the homes of civilians. Or more accurately, even if you believe you have the right, still, the other side may well feel that it too has the right to defend itself, and then it just beomes a question of who is stronger, not who is right.
As you know, Israel pulled out of Gaza, so that land is not being occupied. As to the West Bank, if you want justice, then sit down, like a human being, and cut a deal. Don’t take it upon yourself to destroy a country just because you feel you have the right to do just that. Be more imaginative in your approach, and take the welfare of your people into account.
Nice story, but not quite. If that were the case, why is 20% of Israel composed of Palestinian Arabs? If the intent was to kick all the Arabs out, why did Israel accept these people as full citizens? The fact is that only a small fraction of Palestinians were intentionally displaced by Israel. Most of the refugees left of their own accord, pursuant to instructions by the invading Arab armies, who assured them that Israel would soon be destroyed, and then they could return back to their homes.
I am not saying that Palestinians are not entitled to justice. They are. But justice will not come from an attempt to destroy Israel. Justice will only come from cutting a deal, accepting poltical realities, and partnering with countries like Israel to improve the living conditions and quality of life of the Palestinian people. Under the right circumstances, Israel will go out of its way to make that happen, so as to live up to the promise of its creation. But if Israel feels cornered, it will lash out like a trapped animal.
Today’s Headline: Palestinian rocket accidentally kills 2 young Gaza girls
Link: http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1050364.html
FTA: “A projectile fired by Palestinians fell short of its target in Israel on Friday, striking a house in northern Gaza and killing two schoolgirls.”
Another thing: “On Tuesday, Hamas legislators marked the Christmas season by passing a Shari’a criminal code for the Palestinian Authority. Among other things, it legalizes crucifixion.
Hamas’s endorsement of nailing enemies of Islam to crosses came at the same time it renewed its jihad. Here, too, Hamas wanted to make sure that Christians didn’t feel neglected as its fighters launched missiles at Jewish day care centers and schools. So on Wednesday, Hamas lobbed a mortar shell at the Erez crossing point into Israel just as a group of Gazan Christians were standing on line waiting to travel to Bethlehem for Christmas. ”
Link: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230111707087&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Pingback: Global Voices Online » Palestine: Living Conditions Worsen Under Hamas
New post is here.
See you just made it clear.. so its like… don’t piss off the whiteman, if you do, they kill you. Ok got it.
You are contradicting yourself, you said that we have to take action at some point bla bla bla on your other posts about other nations, but when it comes to Israel, you say the exact opposite thing.
Hmmm… and what you don’t know is the sea blockade and land blockade Israel imposed on Gaza after they “pulled out”. Ya tie the legs of a hostage and tell him he can run, and if he runs he’s free. Doesn’t make sense, just like what Israel did to the people of Gaza.
You can only sit down with humans to talk like a human, talking to animals who are raping your people won’t get you no where. Why don’t you lock yourself in with a lion and negotiate your way out of the cage.
Thats because Jews didn’t finish what they started? Just because you attempted something and didn’t finish it doesn’t mean you didn’t try. We do have punishments for attempted murder in the civilized world.
I don’t know what planet you are from, but it’s customary to flee a warzone when a war is about to happen. Unless you can’t afford it or don’t know any where to go then you are stuck in a warzone.
Ohh ya Arab armies, hold on Arab armies, you didn’t say Palestinian army, right?
PS: Next time you leave your house to goto work, I’ll come and take over your house and I expect you to stfu and go find another place after. Lets see what you have to say since you think that…
You do live in a cave, last time I checked its Israel who refuse to talk. Israel made it clear that they will not go out of their way when they gave Gaza, but then decided to have a blockade to escalate the problem even more. They knew exactly how the Palestinians would react and then could use that against them to fools in the West who believe every shit that comes out of the all mighty truth machine that we call the TV. All I heard about Gaza being free and Israel pulled out, but no TV here said they were under strict blockade after the handover.
Wow you actually believe Israel is the victim in all this. A murderer claiming he’s the victim because the real victim fought back a little is kind of funny.
Jina i knew a emotional comment will be made and I knew it would be from a specific side, the more extreme side, and without mentioning any groups we all know which. This article is very clear on its stance, which is a moderate and non-biased approach, yet you emotionally respond like a real misinformed youth.
Are you serious? Many leaders have been democratically elected just to throw his/her own people in dire peril… now just because they were democratically elected does not mean they have “the right” to continue on a destructive path. Ask any educated person if this comment is accurate..
That said Israel must try to negotiate with all possible recources at hand to strike a deal with Hamas and Fatah. I do not think Israel is doing enough on a democracy front. Hamas is doing nothing, but Fatah is atleast trying….
“do not bite the hand that feads you” Hamas.
Its sad to see that people who sufferd in the 1940′s do the same now to other people. Israel is so mutch victim that they start to believe they have the right to do everything. Well i guess that is what Hitler tought in 1940 when he started killing the jews. I know it gonna bring them nothing … no peace … no money… its gonna bring them hate and they gonna be hated more then ever. Jews all over the world have to wacth themself from now on. Im not treatning anyone im just seeing what is happening arround the world and how the world has changed over the past 40 years. They are not gonna get away with this anymore.. not like they used to in the 60 and 70. Just a fact.. in Holland there are over 1 million islamitic people … that makes it all dificult for Holland to just support Israel.. so they support both sides now ( in public) .. in the offices they still support Israel with arm and supplies but that is gonna change in the coming years. Im waiting to see how Israel is gonna cope then when the support of the Western countries falls away.