by Dr. Reuven Berko
Whoever wants to
understand just how dire the situation for Hamas is in the Gaza Strip
needs to listen to the speech that was given by the organization's Prime
Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a student of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin's, on
Saturday. It was a speech of defeat aimed at the flocks in Gaza, trying
to lift their spirits. The speech was akin to the story of the besieged
city which sent a laundry maiden to pour water over the wall, as if the
city had plenty of water to spare…
It was a speech of
distress and not only because of the timing Haniyeh chose; not long
after a massive underground tunnel between Gaza and Israel was
discovered by the Israeli military, and while the measures being taken
by Egypt against the group are getting harsher. Throughout the speech,
Haniyeh positioned Jerusalem, al-Aqsa mosque and the demand of a
"return" to 1948 Palestine as the triggers for a global Islamic
explosion and as a call for unity.
According to Haniyeh,
when the Muslims understand the tragedy of the Judaization of Jerusalem
and al-Aqsa "to build the hall (his reference to a Third Temple) … per
the decision of the Israeli Knesset," the Islamic nation will awaken. In
his words, even if the Jews think their actions are solidifying their
dream -- they will fail: "What we will do to the Jews is much worse than
what they can endure."
Haniyeh emphasized
Hamas' obligation to the armed struggle and called for Palestinian, Arab
and Muslim unification in the real fight against Israel to return
Palestine to its owner. He promised that the moment of conflict is
drawing near and that "Hamas will surprise everyone in a move that will
also surprise the enemy and turn the tide." In his spirit of
belligerence he praised the recent terrorist attacks in the West Bank
and called on West Bank Palestinians to do more and aim their rifles
together at the enemy to keep hurting it.
Haniyeh spoke against
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, saying that he and his
people are conducting negotiations with Israel counter to the
Palestinian consensus. He agreed it was correct to combine political
action with military action, but that after the failure of the past 20
years and of the Oslo Accords it was clear that this system works
against the Palestinian people and bolsters a positive image of Israel.
Therefore, in the name of the fallen, the process must be stopped.
According to Haniyeh, the Americans are not objective, work against the
Palestinians and have sabotaged attempts at national reconciliation
[between Hamas and Fatah].
He called for
unification within the framework of the Palestine Liberation
Organization, for political and military consolidation between the West
Bank and Gaza, the cessation of security and political cooperation with
Israel and the West and for the creation of a mechanism of temporary
unity government, a joint security and "resistance" apparatus, and to
set the date for elections based only upon arrangements agreed to until
now.
The rumors about Hamas
being broken were refuted by Haniyeh as expected. In his words, at hand
is an organized public relations campaign waged by the enemy. He denied
that Hamas was interfering in events in Arab states, namely Syria and
Egypt, and reassured: We do not want an alternative homeland in Arab
countries, Sinai or Lebanon; nor in Jordan. He threatened: "Anyone who
thinks they can change the situation in Gaza and replace us is wrong. We
are strong against the 'occupation,' and against stirring chaos and
mayhem," a likely hint that Hamas intends to crush any opposition to it.
Haniyeh admitted that
during the Arab Spring, Hamas indeed supported liberating the nations
and the Islamists, only so that they would support the Palestinians.
Regarding Egypt, he shared a secret: "We have helped Egypt with
information about activity in Sinai that I cannot expand on," and he
claimed that "if the Egyptians destroyed the tunnels, at least they
should give us free and open passage through Rafah."
Finally, Haniyeh accused Israel,
the same country he calls to destroy, of war crimes and demanded that
the border crossings be opened without hesitation. Thank you, Haniyeh.
One more speech like this and you're done for.
Dr. Reuven Berko
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=6043
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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