Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., November 05, 2007 Cheshvan 24, 5768 | | Israel Time: 07:25 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Print Edition
Diplomacy
Defense Arts & Leisure Real Estate Jewish World National Advertising
Magazine Week's End Business Opinion Rosner's Domain Anglo File Books Travel
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 15:29 19/06/2007
Hamas wants Israel to starve Gaza
By Bradley Burston

There's a Darfur at our door.

The signs are stark. The Hamas takeover of Gaza intentionally placed hospital patients in the line of fire. The serial atrocities of summary executions of both non-combatants and political rivals were innovatively obscene even by the brutal standards of one of the most violence-hardened places on earth.

Most reminiscent of the Sudan tragedy was the incident late on Monday when Palestinian gunman opened fire and and hurled a grenade at refugees huddled for shelter in the concrete no-man's-land of the Erez border crossing with Israel, killing one person and at least wounding 10.

From the Israeli right come the calls to let "Hamastan" stew to death. Cut off their water, their electricity, their fuel, their food. Seal the borders, stop all supply trucks, keep all refugees from moving from Gaza to the West Bank, keep Marwan Barghouti and all jailed Fatah leaders of influence and charisma to stay right where they are, behind bars.

While your at it, have the IDF stop Israeli ambulances from evacuating the Palestinian wounded at Erez.

In other words, play directly into the hands of Hamas.

From its very beginnings, Hamas has relied on the unerring sixth sense of Israel to do everything possible to shore up the Islamic Resistance Movement. Soon after the Six-Day War, Israeli security strategists began to view and quietly foster the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots as a distracting counterweight to the radical Marxism of armed PLO groups and the declared militarism of Yasser Arafat.

In a thousand ways since, Israel has acted to muzzle, sideline, discredit by unwise praise, and otherwise neuter Palestinian moderates, while decimating their security forces and making heroes of the Muslim Brotherhood's local heir, Hamas.

At this point, Hamas wants nothing more than for Israel to starve Gaza.

Hamas needs Israel to keep Barghouti in prison. Hamas, which began as a humanitarian relief organization and became a world leader in the field of suicide terrorism, now looks worse in the world's eyes than ever before. Most significantly, it has never looked worse in the eyes of Palestinians. Without Israel to pull it out of the muck, Hamas could sink of its own inability to make the transition from a self-sainted opposition to a bad caricature of Israeli occupation forces.

Hamas, in one week, managed to turn its domestic image from Robin Hood into the janjaweed.

"It is the 'wet dream of Hamas'" for Israel to cut Gaza off and contribute to a humanitarian nightmare, said Technion researcher and retired IDF colonel Moshe Elad, who served as a military governor in the West Bank.

"Many of them are waiting for Israel to create a situation that can be filmed and broadcast on television, so that they can say 'Look at what is happening here - a true holocaust."

In Elad's view, Israeli economic constraints aimed at forcing Hamas out of power are a rank mistake. It is also a mistake to think that Palestinians are under the thrall of Hamas, he told Israel Radio on Tuesday.

Only Palestinians, not Israel, can wrest power back from Hamas, he continued, both by democratic means and meeting force with force, and only after an overhaul of under-trained and under-commanded Fatah security forces.

Only Israel can avoid the trap. Only a wise government can resist the pressure from the right, and do the right thing.

"Hamas is facing a big problem now and is isolated by other political groups," Palestinian political analyst Abdel-Majid Sweilem said this week, adding he believed Hamas had "miscalculated" if it believed seizing control of Gaza would increase its negotiating power.

Only a shrewd Israeli government can recognize the importance of Barghouti's message from prison, a direct attack on Hamas. "From my small dark cell I tell our people: I consider the military coup in Gaza a dangerous threat to the unity of the homeland and a threat to the Palestinian cause... I fully support the decision to form a new Palestinian government."

Only a rational Israel will heed the advice of cabinet minister and ex-senior Shin Bet official Gideon Ezra, who called Tuesday for the release from prison of Barghouti and other popular and powerful Fatah leaders, saying it would otherwise take years and years for an effective opposition to Hamas to arise.

"If these people are in prisons, they must be freed. I would have freed Barghouti a while ago. Abbas needs able leaders in addition to [new Prime Minister] Salam Fayyad."

The Palestinian territories, East Palestine and West, are up for grabs. An opinion poll conducted by Near East Consulting after Abbas named his emergency government showed that one Palestinian in three supports Fatah and only about half that number favors Hamas. Fully 43 percent of respondents said they trusted neither major party.

Only Israel can do the right thing. It must help the refugees from Gaza in cooperation with Abbas. It must quietly liaise with Hamas, and find ways to keep the supplies of daily life availiable to people who are not, as Aryeh Eldad and other far-rightists would have it "all terrorists," but rather people who have suffered more than enough, for as long as any of them can remember.

It must swallow its natural instincts for self-injury, stand up to the right-wing calls to let the Palestinians suffer, and allow the human beings of Gaza to avoid the fate of the human beings of Darfur.

One janjaweed in the world is enough.

_____________


Recent blogs:
Why there is no Palestine
REFERENDUM: Return of a bilateral peace plan
1967 - The war that ended Judaism
Boycotting Israel as moral masturbation


__________________


The guiding principles of the talkback forum for this article will be mutual respect and openness to dialogue. Participants, even if they rule out, dismiss or oppose coexistence, must, within the confines of this forum, practice it.

Censorship will be unapologetic.

Political orientation will have absolutely no bearing on whether a comment is posted or rejected.

The following will be grounds for deletion:

1. Racist remarks, as well as slurs on the basis of religion, ethnicity and gender.
2. Use of the terms Nazi, Hitler, to describe the actions and policies of Israelis, Palestinians or other parties to the Israel-Arab conflict.
3. Disparaging remarks, personal attacks, vulgarities and profanities directed at other participants in the forum.
4. Advocacy of violence against individuals or religious, ethnic or racial groups, including statements which may be construed as urging attacks on leaders, officials, security forces or civilians.
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Academic freedom
The High Court has challenged strict IDF criteria for the entry of Palestinian students.
Rapping rabbi
British Jewish rapper MC Rebbe is a finalist in the world's largest blog competition.
  1.   THE DIVIDENDS OF BRAIN DEAD THINKING ARE NOW HERE 10:41  |  paul harris 19/06/07
  2.   An fair analysis but for one thing... 10:46  |  Don Camillo 19/06/07
  3.   "Palestinian gunman opened fire onto Gaza refugees" MORALISTS??? 10:56  |  PETER SM 19/06/07
  4.   Bradley: do I supply you with ideas? 11:00  |  S 19/06/07
  5.   This author of this article is mistaken, naive 11:01  |  Khalid 19/06/07
  6.   Don`t spread doom and gloom 11:02  |  Fairplay 19/06/07
  7.   CONGRATULATION ISRAEL 11:02  |  indrajaya 19/06/07
  8.   Hamas never expected this... 11:07  |  Hassan Merican 19/06/07
  9.   West Bank is key for saving the life of the Israeli patient 11:10  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/06/07
  10.   DISTORTION 11:21  |  Choni Davidowitz 19/06/07
  11.   The truth Bradley 11:30  |  JewishHeart 19/06/07
  12.   STARVING GAZA 11:31  |  LOVER OF GODS PEOPLE 19/06/07
  13.   Is Abbas a moderate Bradley? 11:33  |  JewishHeart 19/06/07
  14.   The BBC doesn`t know anything about it 11:33  |  Yonatan 19/06/07
  15.   Indrajaya 11:34  |  Daniel W 19/06/07
  16.   There is nobody to talk to... think smart 11:37  |  JewishHeart 19/06/07
  17.   #1 Paul Harris - apples and oranges 11:41  |  Yonatan 19/06/07
  18.   #4 Khalid is intentionally misleading readers 11:44  |  Yonatan 19/06/07
  19.   # 14, DANIEL W 11:46  |  indrajaya 19/06/07
  20.   Damned if you do, damned if..... 11:53  |  FOX 19/06/07
  21.   Regardless of Hamas`s wishes, Israel should do the utmost to have 11:55  |  Orit 19/06/07
  22.   Choni, Only a Few Thousand? 11:56  |  Bernie 19/06/07
  23.   Hamas, Hizbollah, Iran and AlQaida strive on misery 12:00  |  ScotGuy 19/06/07
  24.   Tactical mistake 12:03  |  Yehudit 19/06/07
  25.   #17 INDRAJAYA 12:04  |  Daniel W 19/06/07
  26.   Thank You Indy #7, and Congratulations! 12:04  |  FOX 19/06/07
  27.   # 12 Jewish Heart "How can I find no one to talk to ??" 12:11  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/06/07
  28.   What utter, utter drivel Bradley 12:13  |  Marilyn 19/06/07
  29.   But Indrajaya, you promised... 12:18  |  bbl 19/06/07
  30.   Indrajaya"CONGRATULATION ISRAEL"not necessary you brothers did it 12:31  |  PETER SM 19/06/07
  31.   To Fox...collaborators deserve death 12:43  |  Anti-Nazi Jew 19/06/07
  32.   no 11 12:47  |  Fredrick Dittlau 19/06/07
  33.   #13 Why is reporting the news `disinforming`? 12:49  |  Don Camillo 19/06/07
  34.   This was no "miscalculation", Mr. Abdel-Majid Sweilem 12:56  |  Karl 19/06/07
  35.   Hamas - good students of Machiavelli 13:02  |  Clickfool 19/06/07
  36.   JewishHeart - Hello 13:03  |  Gil 19/06/07
  37.   Starvation will be too slow: Cutoff the bastards` water instead! 13:07  |  Nir 19/06/07
  38.   #13 i hate to disillusion you yonatan AND AS MUCH AS I HATE THE 13:09  |  paul harris 19/06/07
  39.   Abbas is only a stooge, reading from a cue card 13:11  |  Natallie Durson 19/06/07
  40.   When can we expect to hear condemnation by Brit.accademics 13:13  |  PETER SM 19/06/07
  41.   ANOTHER ISLAMIC CON TRICK ?? 13:15  |  Bill. 19/06/07
  42.   #11 Lover of God`s People 13:20  |  Boycott 19/06/07
  43.   Gaza the Movie .... Brought to You By the International Left 13:22  |  Klaudia 19/06/07
  44.   Hamas=Israel 13:24  |  bifocials 19/06/07
  45.   HAMAS HAS NO INTEREST IN STARVING GAZA.... 13:28  |  Patriot 19/06/07
  46.   Hamas Is Absolutely Right. 13:40  |  Terry 19/06/07
  47.   Keep em tanks rolling nto Gaza! 13:47  |  Randale 19/06/07
  48.   Hamas remains a toy 13:53  |  Star of David 19/06/07
  49.   Poor Natallie 13:56  |  Ronnie Goldfein 19/06/07
  50.   BBC Well done! 13:58  |  Lex 19/06/07
  51.   All the hamas pal lovers 13:58  |  Star of David 19/06/07
  52.   @All freaks: Read "GOD" backwards and see the farce! 14:03  |  DOG 19/06/07
  53.   To Bill from NZ..... Conspiracy Central - Welcome to the Club ! 14:05  |  Klaudia 19/06/07
  54.   POOR PALS-TOO WEAK TO STAND UP TO HAMAS BUT STRONG ENOUGH TO VOTE 14:07  |  don 19/06/07
  55.   Clickfool`s philosophy 14:12  |  Jasmine Murphy 19/06/07
  56.   #38 Perhaps rename the BBC the Israeli News Service? 14:27  |  Don Camillo 19/06/07
  57.   this is as spot on as can be 14:28  |  Mahona 19/06/07
  58.   #42 wake up 14:33  |  Mahona 19/06/07
  59.   Let the Hamas be fed by Egypt and Jorden 14:41  |  Zoe 19/06/07
  60.   *41 Klaudia . 14:43  |  Bill. 19/06/07
  61.   Hamas needs urgently an overreacting Israel government 14:47  |  Michael 19/06/07
  62.   Clickfool 14:49  |  Jerry 19/06/07
  63.   #22 We in the U.S. get the news.... 14:54  |  John Allen 19/06/07
  64.   Mahona 46 giving them a chance to breathe can only 14:57  |  The Equalizer 19/06/07
  65.   #28 What is your def. of revenge? 15:02  |  John Allen 19/06/07
  66.   # 12 JewishHeart "The art of finding no one to talk to" 15:04  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/06/07
  67.   #31 G_ d gave us free will and if you dont.. 15:05  |  John Allen 19/06/07
  68.   BRADLEY- Grant them 15:07  |  GABE1 19/06/07
  69.   #34 hamas restored peace!!! 15:10  |  John Allen 19/06/07
  70.   For Jasmine Murphy # 44 15:10  |  Clickfool 19/06/07
  71.   #35 I agree with you. 15:13  |  John Allen 19/06/07
  72.   # 41 15:15  |  ChanahS 19/06/07
  73.   Palestinians and their right to Self Determination 15:16  |  Dennis M Starkman 19/06/07
  74.   Patriot # 24 15:20  |  ChanahS 19/06/07
  75.   Expert factual analysis not speculation is needed 15:20  |  Joel in Albany 19/06/07
  76.   Freeing Barghouti is insane 15:24  |  Dennis M Starkman 19/06/07
  77.   Sal 15:42  |  Turin 19/06/07
  78.   Bradley describes as moral masturbation 15:43  |  Joseph E . 19/06/07