Tragically, the 1.7 million Palestinians trapped within the world’s largest open-air prison Gaza are not being served by their Hamas leadership — and neither is the Palestinian struggle for a state. However, noble the aims of the resistance against Israeli occupation might be, they will not be achieved with Qassam rockets that do little but disturb sandy terrain and elicit Israeli retaliation on civilians.
Setting aside romantic notions, the Hamas project has turned out to be a mega failure, for which it isn’t wholly to blame. The world — and more particularly the region — has altered since those heady days in 2006 when Hamas swept to an election victory winning a majority of seats in the Palestinian Parliament when Ismail Haniyah was nominated Prime Minister.
The Hamas-Fatah coalition government was dissolved by President Mahmoud Abbas prompted by fierce clashes between Hamas and Fatah forces in Gaza. Hamas that was branded “terrorist” by the United States in 1997 was relegated to the Gaza Strip. Ever since, the people of Gaza have suffered hell on earth, while world powers and the United Nations do little apart from shedding crocodile tears over Israel’s incessant attacks and a crippling blockade of Gaza’s borders, coastline and airspace.
Last November, the UN announced that Gaza was becoming uninhabitable with electricity blackouts lasting up to 12 hours a day, raw sewage running through the streets as well as severe shortages of food, medicines and building materials. And there is no end in sight especially now that the ideological twin of Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, was removed from power in Egypt and is now labeled “terrorist.”
Egypt’s Security Forces are on the defensive following numerous attacks on soldiers in northern Sinai by armed extremist groups, some of which Cairo believes are linked to both the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. In an effort to protect its borders, the Egyptian military has been engaged in destroying tunnels between Gaza and Rafah, which have served as a crucial lifeline to Gaza’s economy for years. Last September, Cairo warned Hamas that if any Palestinian entity seeks to harm Egypt’s security, it risks incurring a military response. For its part, Hamas pleads innocence, although documents purporting to derive from Hamas’ military wing were revealed by the privately owned Egyptian channel ONTV on Monday indicating otherwise.
If Hamas thinks it can take on Israel and Egypt it’s delusional. Its best option would be to work toward rapprochement with Fatah, which would pave the way for long overdue elections and bring unity to a severed Palestinian population. Surely, if Hamas leaders genuinely cared about their people, they would set aside their own ambitions for the greater good of all. Instead, its Political Bureau chief Khaled Meshaal is engaged in papering over the cracks of his organization’s rocky relationship with its former funder and weapons supplier Iran; ties that were strained over differences on Syria.
Meshaal is due to visit Tehran later this year and says a renewed accord is on track. Necessity is the driving force behind that move but it’s unwise. It will further alienate the organization’s Sunni backers and will entrench hard-liner positions within Israel against the US-brokered peace talks. It appears some Hamas leaders still dream of a Muslim Brotherhood comeback next door. Mahmoud Al-Zahar is quoted, as saying the reach-out to Iran is unconnected with the situation in Egypt. “Hamas is not politically isolated,” he insisted. “Do not exaggerate the difficulties with Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood is not finished.” If that’s the attitude, then Hamas may be unwittingly penning its own obituary.
Hamas needs an inward-looking reality check. Its rockets cannot compete Israeli Apache helicopters, missiles and drones; and its suicide-bombing/car bombing associates in Sinai will not succeed in hijacking Egypt’s forward march. Moreover, it does not have the wherewithal to provide Gazans with security, stability and opportunity, which are the fundamental rights of citizens everywhere. What are its achievements since it took over the running of Gaza? Are there any at all? Gaza is materially worse off than ever; its children are experiencing stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition and are wading to school through sewage, risking cholera. Many others are severely psychologically disturbed after witnessing bloodshed or fearing that one day Israeli bombs will end their lives. Tens of thousands were rendered homeless because of freak weather conditions that led to flooding.
The first duty of any leader should be toward his people. Hamas is simply not up to the task, as unfair as that may be. Its charter written in a different era is obsolete. It requires new policies, inclusive policies, with the objective of bettering lives. Hooking up with Iran for a fistful of dollars is a pointless exercise. Hamas must change — and if it won’t or can’t, then it should go.
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