Lessons From Gaza Turmoil

27 June 2006

by Ramzy Baroud

The Hamas-Fatah clash that led to a mini civil war in Gaza is both old and new. While some of its elements are uniquely Palestinian, much of it was manufactured at the behest of US-Israeli intelligence and governments. The tensions between Fatah and Hamas are decades old. Fatah has since the late 1960s claimed a superior if not exclusive position at the helm of Palestinian politics. At times there seemed little or no chance for any other organization, secular, socialist or religious, to share a platform with Yasser Arafat’s movement. Mohammed Dahlan and the likes have tarnished the reputation of Fatah forever, but the movement and its decades-long struggle must not be reduced to these individuals.

The second Palestinian uprising of 2000 can be seen as a revolt against Israel and its occupation, but also against those who did the Jewish state’s bidding in occupied territories — the shameful legion of Palestinians whose wealth grew to unprecedented levels as the great majority of Palestinians sunk further into poverty.

Such shamelessness won support for Hamas among ordinary Palestinians and in January 2006 Hamas swept the polls, to the surprise of many including the leaders of Hamas. The elites and wealthy few had espoused a society that is governed by brutality, nepotism and favoritism and was unabashedly managed with the help of Israel. Hamas was the only serious alternative: Their anti-corruption record and the tough fight against Israel made them deserving of Palestinian support and votes. Though Palestinians were ready to give Hamas a chance, the US government, Israel, various Arab regimes and Fatah were not. The latest killings and brutality in Gaza all attest to the lengths the US and Israel are willing to go to keep Hamas at bay.

What took place in Gaza was tragic, but the question is: Considering the prevailing circumstances, did Hamas and Fatah have other options that could have allowed them to achieve their objectives peacefully? I think there was enough determination on both sides to prevent a civil war at any cost; hence the agreement in Makkah. However, US efforts to ensure the failure of the unity government and the corruption among Fatah’s security circles took things to a breaking point. The violence was heartbreaking, especially throwing people from the top of high buildings and summary executions. Palestinians have been caught in many violent episodes in the past, but this one was most tragic for it took place under the watchful eye of Israel, who mercilessly continued to kill Palestinians, young and old, just as Palestinians were killing one another.

Now one can only hope that common sense and sanity will return and that Palestinians will realize that they are still an occupied nation. Unfortunately, the United States and Israel still dictate the course of action in Palestine, and naturally, this will only bring much harm to the Palestinians. Israel is now scheduled to hand back the money it stole from the Palestinians in the form of taxes collected on their behalf to Abbas in the West Bank, while tightening the siege on the poverty-stricken Gaza. Even personal money transfers will be halted to ensure the total suffocation of Gaza. The US will be pumping tens of millions into Abbas’ hands; Fatah’s warlords — now rampaging against Hamas institutions in the West Bank — will also receive more than their fair share of money and weapons. Why this generosity after a year-and-a-half of embargo? Israel wants to ensure that the division among Palestinians will destroy their national project in the West Bank as well.

One can only hope that some valuable lessons will be learned from all of this. First, Gaza has exposed the hollowness of US government’s talk of democracy in the Middle East. If it were democracy that America was seeking, it would have acknowledged the Palestinian people’s collective will and engaged in dialogue with their representatives, as opposed to starvation and blockade and covert operations to topple the government. Second, the people have the ability to withstand pressure, to prevail and force change, even if violently. Third, proxy politics is most harmful, in Palestine and elsewhere. Ordinary Palestinians have stood up and confronted the awesome powers of Israel, the US and the corruption and brutality of some of their own leaders; they will continue to do so.

Gaza has descended into chaos but so has the agenda championed by the remnants of the neoconservative clique in the Bush administration. They refused to acknowledge that it is not weapons that Palestinians want. It is simply freedom.