Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., January 08, 2009 Tevet 12, 5769 | | Israel Time: 05:40 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 18:30 07/01/2009
Defense sources: Even if Hamas agrees to truce, its armed wing may resist
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies
Tags: hamas, syria, gaza 

Israel's defense establishment believes that Hamas' armed wing is likely to resist any cease-fire agreement over the embattled Gaza Strip, regardless of what the Islamist group's political leadership decides.



Hamas, which comprises a military wing, as well as political leaderships in Gaza and Syria, does not make decisions as a unified body. Rather, the organization' separate branches hold their own discussions.
Advertisement
Israel's security forces assess that Hamas' armed wing will push for an extension of the battles in Gaza, despite the serious casualties and damages to its infrastructure that it has suffered since Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip began 12 days ago.

According to this assessment, Hamas' armed wing will not accept the Egyptian and French brokered truce proposal, which calls for an end to the smuggling of weapons and militants from Sinai.

In the past, the group's armed wing has been subservient to the political leadership in Gaza and Damascus, but recent power shifts within the organization have changed that dynamic.

Israel's assault on the lines of communication between the group's different branches has resulted in a series of technical setbacks, preventing the group from being able to make coordinated decisions.

Israeli officials have come to the conclusion that the majority of senior Hamas leaders have gone into hiding, fearing assassination. Day-to-day decisions on fighting now seem to have been left to junior-level gunmen in the organization.

Although the armed wing was initially structured to be a military organization, IDF incursions into the Strip have again turned the body into an underground organization governed by secrecy and compartmentalization.

During armed clashes, the armed wing deploys small squads of gunmen which operate independently of larger bodies, though Hamas has tried recently to coordinate the firing of Qassam rockets between different cells.

Hamas has long delegated its combat command in the field to the lower command levels and different fighting theaters at different times.

Signs of of anarchy have prevailed in the embattled coastal territory of late, against the backdrop of serious losses to the Hamas leadership, which Israel says "no longer has any offices to meet in" - referring to the severe damages the Israel Air Force and ground troops have inflicted on the Islamist group's infrastructure.

The armed wing has lost commanders in charge of Qassam fire as well as more senior battle commanders in the IDF attacks. Most of the group's commanders on the battalion and company level stored weaponry in their homes, most of which were destroyed in IAF air strikes.

The losses suffered by Hamas have created serious problems for the group among the religious population. From the Israeli point-of-view, the armed wing has not been able to defend itself against IDF strikes and has instead been forced to make do with harassing IDF troops.

"Hamas has purported that their forces haven't suffered heavy losses, at a time when the population is suffering. This is long-term damage to their image."

Security sources have identified 290 of the some 600 Palestinians killed in the fighting so far. At least 200 of these fatalities have been named as members of the terror organization or as people somehow involved in militant activity. Palestinians, however, have say the majority of those killed were civilians.

Hamas leader: We reject a permanent truce with Israel

Meanwhile, the deputy head of Hamas's political bureau on Wednesday said his group is studying peace initiatives to end the violence in Gaza Strip but rejects permanent truce with Israel.

Exiled Hamas leader Moussa Abou Marzouk said there will be no talks about a permanent cease-fire and that as long as there is an Israeli occupation, there will be resistance.

Marzouk spoke to The Associated Press Wednesday - one day after Egypt and France proposed a plan for ending the fighting in Gaza.

Abu Marzouk said Hamas received proposals from France, Turkey, Syria and Egypt to bring about a cease-fire.

He said Hamas stands by its demands for an immediate end to Israel's offensive, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and opening of the border with the strip.

Also Wednesday, Osama Hamdan, a Hamas representative in Lebanon close to the group's leadership in Syria, told al-Jazeera television that Hamas would not accept any initiative that does not include the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza and the opening of all of the territory's border crossings.

"Any proposal that does not include these bases is unacceptable and no one should bother by presenting such proposals," he said.

"The idea of an international force is rejected and such forces which will come to Gaza to protect Israel will be dealt with as enemy forces," he said.

Related articles:
  • Abbas at UN, appeals for mutual Gaza cease-fire
  • ANALYSIS / Using aggressive tactics in Gaza to save soldiers' lives
  • ANALYSIS / Israel must double, triple, quadruple its medical aid to Gaza
  • Israel to establish 'humanitarian corridor' for Gaza Strip
  • Venezuelan President Chavez: Gaza operation is a Palestinian 'holocaust'
  • Al-Qaida No. 2 slams Obama for failing to stop IDF offensive in Gaza
  • French TV claims photos from 2005 showed damage from Israel's Gaza operation
  • Four of six IDF soldiers killed in Gaza were victims of friendly fire
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Humanitarian initiative
    There is a way for Israel to prove it is committed to universal moral values.
    Top Targets
    An Islamist site is compiling a list of U.K. Jews to target over Gaza op.
      1.   Occupation 13:46  |  AM 07/01/09
      2.   Ocupation 16:09  |  Max 07/01/09
      3.   Hamas, you should do better than that. 16:09  |  Ibrahim 07/01/09
      4.   End the occupation? 16:10  |  Ben 07/01/09
      5.   Terrorism 16:11  |  Aby 07/01/09
      6.   Occupation 16:17  |  Richard 07/01/09
      7.   Transitional Government 16:17  |  Matthew Houston 07/01/09
      8.   Marzouk means... 16:18  |  David Nigel Braham 07/01/09
      9.   #1 Occupation 16:20  |  inisrael 07/01/09
      10.   this reminds me of the PLO in Jordan 16:21  |  Lynn 07/01/09
      11.   responsible leadership 16:21  |  Michel 07/01/09
      12.   We ended the ocupation in gaza 16:22  |  Yuval 07/01/09
      13.   To #1- AM 18:00  |  Johann 07/01/09
      14.   Then There Is Only One Answer... 18:04  |  Yosemite 07/01/09
      15.   Let`s move 18:11  |  Ed 07/01/09
      16.   Destroy Hamas 18:11  |  Howard 07/01/09
      17.   "Occupation" defined 18:17  |  Arie 07/01/09
      18.   To the British posters 18:19  |  Arie 07/01/09
      19.   Typical Hamas 18:20  |  Jeremy 07/01/09
      20.   Ibrahim...not supporting Hamas politics 20:26  |  Lynn 07/01/09
      21.   Ibrahim from a political standpoint 4 try 05:05  |  David Israel 08/01/09
      22.   Ibrahim from a political standpoint 6 try 05:06  |  David Israel 08/01/09
      23.   Ibrahim from a political standpoint 7 try 05:07  |  David Israel 08/01/09
     Read & React
    Bradley Burston / A Jew's prayer for the children of Gaza
    Responses: 57
    IDF: Shelled UN school in Gaza used as hideout by Hamas
    Responses: 107
    ANALYSIS / Using aggressive tactics in Gaza to save soldiers' lives
    Responses: 26
    Venezuela's Chavez: Gaza operation is a Palestinian 'holocaust'
    Responses: 30
    Amira Hass: Lucky my parents aren't alive to see Israel bomb Gaza
    Responses: 41


    More Headlines
    03:48 Israel, Egypt to begin intensive talks on Gaza truce
    03:49 IDF sources: Conditions not yet optimal for Gaza exit
    04:07 ANALYSIS / Excellent intel on Gaza shows Israel learned from its errors in Lebanon
    04:22 ANALYSIS / Gaza op has put an end to Israel's honeymoon with Turkey
    23:29 Israel bombs south Gaza tunnels, tells local residents to flee
    05:14 ANALYSIS / Israel's three alternative for the future of the Gaza war
    22:58 Rice: Gaza truce needed, but must not allow return to 'status quo ante'
    18:30 Defense sources: Even if Hamas agrees to truce, its armed wing may resist
    18:20 Get up to the minute coverage of the warfare in Gaza directly to your email
    03:17 Iran's Larijani meets Hamas political chief Meshal in Damascus
    05:00 48-hours after her wedding, IDF officer enters Gaza with her troops
    11:35 ANALYSIS / Israel must double, triple, quadruple its medical aid to Gaza
    14:34 Report: Islamist site compiling list of U.K. Jews to target over Gaza op
    21:27 Obama vows to 'engage immediately' on Mideast once inaugurated
    20:40 In battle for public opinion, IDF Web site puts female face forward
    14:53 Nasrallah: Hezbollah will make Lebanon war look like 'a walk in the park'
    01:51 German court rules Nazi hit man unfit to stand trial
    05:14 IDF reserve troops receive fictitious calls for duty in Gaza
    22:00 Joe the Plumber named conservative Web site's war correspondent in Israel
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Summer in Israel
    Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
    You can make a direct IMPACT!
    on the life of an Israeli soldier
    State of Israel Bonds
    During this time of market volatility, Israel bonds can help.
    SURF RAMBAM
    Keep current about new-wave medical care, education and research.
    Summer Camp in Israel
    The best place for your children this summer
    Academic Studies in Israel
    All the Q & A at the IDC HERZLIYA Open House, January 9,2009
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved