Image: Palestinian children in southern Gaza protest at the closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.by Saybhan Samat from Colombo
(February 07, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The audacious act of breaching the wall separating Gaza and Egypt by Hamas at the end of January sent shock waves in Tel Aviv, Washington and the European capitals. It is indeed a marvel that Hamas has survived to breach the Egyptian side of the border despite it being cruelly marginalized by the US, its European allies and the Zionist state of Israel. Excepting Iran even the so called moderate states like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have not looked upon Hamas favourably.
The economic blockade by Israel is to starve the 1.4 million Palestinians in the Ghazzah into submission to accept the US, Israel and European terms for a peace settlement which the Hamas rejects. Hamas did what nobody expected them to do, they breached the wall on the Egyptian side and obtained all their requirements of food and other necessities from Egypt. The Arab street with demonstrations in favour of Hamas prevented Hosni Mubarak from taking punitive action against the Palestinians.
Current events in Palestine like the breaching of the wall, a recommencement of suicide bombing on February 4th, rejection of the Annapolis peace moves and the non recognition of Israel can be seen as a microcosm of events over the last 40 years.
Throughout this period, Israel has struggled to consolidate and legitimates its conquests, one way or another while Palestinians have done everything possible to fight back, while consistently refusing to accept the loss of Jerusalem as permanent. At every stage there have been leaders on the Palestinian side who have argued that further resistance is futile, and have tried to persuade the Palestinians to reach a settlement on terms that would inevitably be dictated by Israel and the US and its allies. And at every stage the Palestinians have chosen to back those leaders who have assisted on resistance and have called for sacrifices instead of surrender. And time and again, Israel and the west have tried to bolster "moderate" Palestinian leaders while attacking those who insist on resisting; only to find the popularity and credibility of the latter increased by their actions.
The Hamas stands for resistance at any cost. It is no wonder that they won the election in January 2006. Israel the US and its Western allies quickly branded them as terrorists, denied aid and clamped inhuman economic and political restrictions on them. The Hebrew press in Israel reported that Hamas has put together a force of about ten to fifteen thousand fighters, which it says is two or three times the number of fighters Hizbullah fielded in the 2006 Lebanon war. The Qassem missiles launched by Hamas and other Palestinians are beginning to take their toll on the brittle Israeli mind set. The Israeli politicians and military personnel do not see eye-to-eye on this issue. The military is more jittery about this; Israel's generals want a ground operation against the threat of Palestinian rocket fire out of Ghazzah. Meanwhile the political elites, still in shock after the 2006 Lebanon war against Hizbullah, fear nothing more than more setbacks an unexpected defeats. for them, Lebanon is enough for at least a few years, or until a better opportunity presents itself.
At time of writing Egypt has taken control of the border crossing between Ghazzah and itself. However the situation is dicey and Palestinian may once again breach the wall. What is significant is that there were mass demonstrations in the Arab streets of Egypt, Jordan and even Saudi Arabia in support of the Palestinians. This in effect is a writing on the wall for these pro American rulers of these reactionary regimes, that the revolutionary fervour in Palestine by Hamas and in Lebanon by Hizbullah will spread to their countries and overthrow their regimes. If the Israelis continue their cruel policy on the 1.4 million Palestinians living in Ghazzah in appalling conditions in what effectively is a giant concentration camp it is only a matter of time that their Arab brethren will rise against their rulers for ignoring the plight of their fellow Arabs and take arms to fight and struggle against the Zionist occupiers. This is what Israel, the US and its allies dread very much.
The breaching of the border wall is yet another significant milestone in the progress towards liberating Palestine. Wars end only when one side surrenders. Israel now recognizes that the Palestinians will never surrender on terms acceptable to it, and so is determined to take what it wants by force. For the Palestinians, therefore, there seems to be little alternative but more of what they have already endured for 60 long years. With abiding patience long standing steadfastness, courage abounding and grim determination they will continue their struggle until final victory.
(February 07, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The audacious act of breaching the wall separating Gaza and Egypt by Hamas at the end of January sent shock waves in Tel Aviv, Washington and the European capitals. It is indeed a marvel that Hamas has survived to breach the Egyptian side of the border despite it being cruelly marginalized by the US, its European allies and the Zionist state of Israel. Excepting Iran even the so called moderate states like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have not looked upon Hamas favourably.
The economic blockade by Israel is to starve the 1.4 million Palestinians in the Ghazzah into submission to accept the US, Israel and European terms for a peace settlement which the Hamas rejects. Hamas did what nobody expected them to do, they breached the wall on the Egyptian side and obtained all their requirements of food and other necessities from Egypt. The Arab street with demonstrations in favour of Hamas prevented Hosni Mubarak from taking punitive action against the Palestinians.
Current events in Palestine like the breaching of the wall, a recommencement of suicide bombing on February 4th, rejection of the Annapolis peace moves and the non recognition of Israel can be seen as a microcosm of events over the last 40 years.
Throughout this period, Israel has struggled to consolidate and legitimates its conquests, one way or another while Palestinians have done everything possible to fight back, while consistently refusing to accept the loss of Jerusalem as permanent. At every stage there have been leaders on the Palestinian side who have argued that further resistance is futile, and have tried to persuade the Palestinians to reach a settlement on terms that would inevitably be dictated by Israel and the US and its allies. And at every stage the Palestinians have chosen to back those leaders who have assisted on resistance and have called for sacrifices instead of surrender. And time and again, Israel and the west have tried to bolster "moderate" Palestinian leaders while attacking those who insist on resisting; only to find the popularity and credibility of the latter increased by their actions.
The Hamas stands for resistance at any cost. It is no wonder that they won the election in January 2006. Israel the US and its Western allies quickly branded them as terrorists, denied aid and clamped inhuman economic and political restrictions on them. The Hebrew press in Israel reported that Hamas has put together a force of about ten to fifteen thousand fighters, which it says is two or three times the number of fighters Hizbullah fielded in the 2006 Lebanon war. The Qassem missiles launched by Hamas and other Palestinians are beginning to take their toll on the brittle Israeli mind set. The Israeli politicians and military personnel do not see eye-to-eye on this issue. The military is more jittery about this; Israel's generals want a ground operation against the threat of Palestinian rocket fire out of Ghazzah. Meanwhile the political elites, still in shock after the 2006 Lebanon war against Hizbullah, fear nothing more than more setbacks an unexpected defeats. for them, Lebanon is enough for at least a few years, or until a better opportunity presents itself.
At time of writing Egypt has taken control of the border crossing between Ghazzah and itself. However the situation is dicey and Palestinian may once again breach the wall. What is significant is that there were mass demonstrations in the Arab streets of Egypt, Jordan and even Saudi Arabia in support of the Palestinians. This in effect is a writing on the wall for these pro American rulers of these reactionary regimes, that the revolutionary fervour in Palestine by Hamas and in Lebanon by Hizbullah will spread to their countries and overthrow their regimes. If the Israelis continue their cruel policy on the 1.4 million Palestinians living in Ghazzah in appalling conditions in what effectively is a giant concentration camp it is only a matter of time that their Arab brethren will rise against their rulers for ignoring the plight of their fellow Arabs and take arms to fight and struggle against the Zionist occupiers. This is what Israel, the US and its allies dread very much.
The breaching of the border wall is yet another significant milestone in the progress towards liberating Palestine. Wars end only when one side surrenders. Israel now recognizes that the Palestinians will never surrender on terms acceptable to it, and so is determined to take what it wants by force. For the Palestinians, therefore, there seems to be little alternative but more of what they have already endured for 60 long years. With abiding patience long standing steadfastness, courage abounding and grim determination they will continue their struggle until final victory.
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