Who are the new Hamas recruits in Gaza?
Many of 15,000 applicants have no interest in police work or in politics - they just are looking for jobs.
By The Associated Press Tags: Hamas Israel news GazaWhen the Hamas rulers in the Gaza Strip announced recently plans to hire about 1,000 new policemen, 15,000 applied.
Only a few of those reporting for fitness tests one recent afternoon expressed an interest in police work or said they belonged to the Islamic militant group. Most just wanted a job.
Plagued by poverty for decades, Gaza's private sector has been all but wiped out by nearly four years of closed borders and last year's devastating Israeli offensive. In the meantime, Hamas has solidified its grip, making it Gaza's second largest employer.
Amid growing desperation, announcements of the hiring campaign spread a blaze of hope among the territory's unemployed young men.
Not everyone could apply. Candidates had to be between 18 and 20 years old, taller than 5-foot-6, (1.7 meters) and weigh more than 154 pounds (70 kilograms). They could have no more than a high school education, since most would work as street officers and not commanders, said Hamas Interior Ministry spokesman Ehab Ghussein.
"In four days, about 15,000 men signed up," Ghussein said. Over the past two weeks, Hamas has been holding daily drills to test their fitness.
One recent afternoon, about 400 applicants lined up near a sandy lot in Gaza City. When a Hamas officer in combat boots and black fatigues yelled their names through a bullhorn, they removed their shoes, showed their IDs and had their height and weight measured. They ran a lap on a track and did push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups. Hamas officers, some toting rifles, jotted down their results.
Most of the applicants hailed from Gaza's refugee camps. Few said they were interested in police work or expressed much enthusiasm for Hamas' Islamic ideology. Some said their families made them come.
"The salary, what else?" said Majd Subah, 20, when asked why he applied. "If there was other work to look for, we'd go for that."
Subah said he needed work to get married. He had saved $11,000 working in smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border and fixed up an apartment for his bride, but her father refused to let her go until he had a real job, he said.
"I want to go back and tell him I'm a cop," he said.
Gaza's already sinking economy has plunged in recent years. Israel sealed the territory's borders after Hamas-allied militants captured an Israeli soldier in 2006.
The following year, Hamas seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Israel and Egypt tightened the blockade, leading to shortages of many goods.
Last winter, Israel launched a military offensive to stop Gaza militants from firing rockets at Israel. Some 1,400 Gazans were killed, including more than 200 police officers. Thirteen Israelis were also killed.
Hamas now employs about 25,000 Gazans, said Gaza economist Omar Shaban, second only to the Abbas' Palestinian Authority, which continues to pay 55,000 employees in Gaza since the Hamas takeover - though they now stay home.
About 80 percent of Gaza's 1.5 million residents depend on food aid from the United Nations and other groups. There are no official figures, but some estimates put unemployment at more than 40 percent.
The recruits will join the 15,000 already serving in Hamas security services, Ghussein said. While many of them direct traffic and guard government buildings, others work for Hamas' internal security service, which is widely feared and often accused of cracking down on political rivals.
Ghussein said applicants were not being vetted politically.
Even those landing jobs are unlikely to see their financial troubles disappear. Recruits will work for free for four months, then earn about $260 per month for six months before being eligible for raises, Ghussein said.
Still, some looked forward to working for Hamas.
"God willing, I'm going to protect my country," said Momen Abu Athra, 20, who came out in a white skull cap and wispy beard and soundly beat the others in his running group.
Abu Athra, who has memorized the Quran, said he now teaches in an Islamic school but wanted to work for an Islamic government.
Few others shared his zeal.
"I want to support my family and build my future," said Mahmoud Douda, 20.
Douda said he had earned about $26 a day working in the tunnels, but being underground terrified him. Douda said he didn't belong to any political group but would work for anyone who would give him a job.
"Hamas or not Hamas, people want to work," he said.
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Lemme see. You seem to presume I agree with British colonization of Australia or that I am a 300 year old man. I'm not sure which. Do you actually have a point other than trying to justify Israel breaking TODAY's International Law?
"When the British controlled the Palestinian Mandate, the term Palestinian was used for the Jews living there." It was used for ALL Palestinian citizens. Jews and Arabs alike. "The Arabs at the time, most of whom sided with Hitler under the guidance of their "spiritual" leader, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem" Strange. In 1941, when he met Hitler he was no longer the Mufti of Jerusalem and no longer an official representative of the Palestinian people. The volunteer Muslim forces he controlled were not Palestinian. They didn?t operate in Palestine. The Palestinians NEVER elected al-Husseini to any position of power. In fact, he was appointed to the position of Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by a Jewish chap. Simple maths tells us the majority of Palestinians of today were either not yet born or very tiny children at the time. http://wp.me/pDB7k-m1
Can you do flex walk with the policemen. Can you put it to a part time option to so they get some income or as they get training teaching. Please can we form more proactive units of work for them maybe with neigborhood walks. Land management, waste consolidation and management, crop management, wouldnt it be cool to have candle street lamps to light with electric ones as back up, gang control units, youth group managers teaching positive not hate and death, tourism management, communication couriers, auto repair, humanitarian aid walkers, midwives and woman checks, college for men and women. Did you know most education in Israel ended at 10th grade USA level while ours goes to 12th grade then college. College level there is at associate degree level after 4 years in some areas. Rankoo-Karoon
actually the reason they dont need univeristy degree's is that Gaza is under a tight sanctions and shortages of power and even food. so how can under those conditions any expansion or growth happen ? this is why it is stated that due to these grim conditions people have no expectations so they dont even have the chance to go to university for there are no Real top jobs or growth happening under sanctions. The west bank is under some sanctions but Gaza is under a tougher conditions.
if you want to use that logic you might as well go back to the Roman times
Even though there are very few witnesses of the events but my guess would be that prior to King David Gaza was populated. So, the Jewish folk, as you put it, came down there and did approximately the same thing as white Australian settlers only not as efficiently. After all there are no protests of native Tasmanians against the occupation, right? Since there are as many Tasmanians around as the victims of King David?s invasion they can not summon too many people to participate.
When the British controlled the Palestinian Mandate, the term Palestinian was used for the Jews living there. Indeed, there was an Army grop from the Mandate composed entirely of Jews that was called Palestinian. The Arabs at the time, most of whom sided with Hitler under the guidance of their "spiritual" leader, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, regarded themselves as South Syrians. Plus ca change, n'est-ce pas?
It is only logical that people will seek employment from Hamas if there is no other work around. Some of them are probably going to end up being part of the terrorist group instead of being part of the civil service. I doubt it is a coincidence that Hamas has lost so much influence in the economically vibrant WB. So all this boycott is doing is helping Hamas get new members. You can even see it in the requirements being put up: "They could have no more than a high school education, since most would work as street officers and not commanders, said Hamas Interior Ministry spokesman Ehab Ghussein." This is the first employer I've heard of that thinks that education disqualifies someone from employment. Sounds to me like Hamas is fully aware that educated people are much less likely to be influenced by its ideals.
"Who are the new Hamas recruits in Gaza?" - AP First, they are not recruits to Hamas. Second, they are 1,000 guys lucky enough to get a job in Gaza. I realize that the Gaza blockade has created a situation where it is hard to gather news, but the headline makes it clear the AP has not tried very hard to pursue the story. The story is not so much wrong, as very incomplete. There is little appreciation of just how desperate the situation is, nor of the political situation. "Hamas or not Hamas, people want to work," - Mahmoud Douda At least they got the last line right.
Your postings here have a relentlessly hateful (even genocidal) tone. In order to exterminate Hamas, Israel would have to exterminate most to the 1.5 million people of Gaza. Are you for that? Are you a Medical Doctor? (Oy gavolt!) Dude, you need a shrink.
"... giving nothing back to the world in return." You forgot about the Qassams and mortars.
More proof of the phony picture of "poverty" and "starvation" in Gaza. How many in Darfur or Haiti or even US street homeless have "$11,000" saved up from being able to work anywhere at anything?? World humanitarian relief needs to cut these bums off and send the scarce funds to Haiti and Darfur and dozens of other genuinely needy places. UNRWA parasites have been growing fat sucking at the teat of international aid for 60 years, leaving nothing for anybody else, giving nothing back to the world in return.
under the British Mandate over Palestine which PROTECTED them. "So are you saying that Gaza was not occupied under the Ottoman Empire?" A)It was semi-autonomous B)Irrelevant, we now have LAWS. "If I am not mistaken Gaza(philistine) has been an occupied territory since King David..." You are mistaken...BTW who was there before King David? Mmmm? Did Jewish folk just appear out of no-where into a completely empty landscape? "But to be fair the occupation of Gaza ended in 2006 .." UNSC Res 1860 (2009) says otherwise. 2009 is AFTER 2005, yes? "One can only wonder how much longer Hamas can last when the best it has to offer its people is tunnel smuggling and un-paid police work..." B) It's paid. A) That IS the idea of the Israeli blockade. Collective punishment in order to get rid of Hamas. "The sad truth is .." You're limping around using a set of fallacies as crutches while you clutch at straws in order to justify the illegal acquisition of other folk's territories.
(That`s right folks, Mandate 30 yrs, Egypt 19 yrs, Israel 43 years) So are you saying that Gaza was not occupied under the Ottoman Empire? If I am not mistaken Gaza(philistine) has been an occupied territory since King David... But to be fair the occupation of Gaza ended in 2006 and when Hamas was elected the Blockade(Siege) of Gaza started... One can only wonder how much longer Hamas can last when the best it has to offer its people is tunnel smuggling and un-paid police work... The sad truth is Gaza is like Lebanon both are still occupied by foreign powers (not Israel) but Syria/Iran (Hamas/Hezbollah)... Hopefully in the next elections Gazans will break their streak of occupation and elect a government that serves the interests of the Gazans(and not some foreign powers manifest destiny [Iran])
"All armies of the world seem to attract young men who come from the lower classes of soci.." Where does it say 'army' OR 'lower classes'? "Look at the high number of minority Americans that join the army." These folk are NOT a minority "The US army, for example, offers all kinds of incentives to attract new recruits - free education and a guaranteed job." WOW!! And all Hamas are doing is advertising A job. "If this can happen in rich societies such as the US where job opportunities for Blacks & Mexicans are very rare, the army looks like a very attractive option. Any wonder this also is the case in Gaza?" Er it ISN'T also the case in Gaza... The US has no blockades imposed on it, does not have the high un-employment rate Gaza has, has not been under continual occupation for 92 years... (That's right folks, Mandate 30 yrs, Egypt 19 yrs, Israel 43 years)
All armies of the world seem to attract young men who come from the lower classes of society. Look at the high number of minority Americans that join the army. The US army, for example, offers all kinds of incentives to attract new recruits - free education and a guaranteed job. If this can happen in rich societies such as the US where job opportunities for Blacks & Mexicans are very rare, the army looks like a very attractive option. Any wonder this also is the case in Gaza?