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December 30, 2008Who Is Hamas Targeting?
The end of the Gaza ceasefire brought an intensification of rocket fire by Hamas, and subsequent air strikes by Israel. A ground incursion into Gaza over the next few days is more than likely as Israel has already stated that this is an "all-out war." The Bush administration is urging Hamas to cease its rocket attacks if it wants peace, while France and the EU have condemned Israel's disproportionate use of force. And where are the Arab leaders? Same place as usual--no man's land.
But at the end of the day, what does Hamas really want to get out of this? I agree with those who believe that Israel's response has been heavy-handed as usual; with what seems to be a disregard for basic human rights. I can also understand why people feel the same way about Hamas firing rockets into Israeli territory. Hamas knows to expect severe retaliation from Israel, but at the same time Israel's reaction seemed premeditated.
Hamas' actions are legitimized by its supporters because of Israel's perceived inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people. Israel's supporters legitimize their behavior because of Hamas' and other Palestinian factions' desperate attacks on Israel's civilian population.
Which brings me back to my primary question: what does Hamas really hope to get out of this? Is Hamas really a spokesman for the Palestinian people? Granted, they were brought into power democratically, but that was also in retaliation to the failed policies of their previous government-not necessarily a vote to espouse their ideological basis. The fact is that Hamas has failed miserably in the Gaza Strip, and they still function more as a guerrilla group than an actual government. The West Bank is under the opposition control of Fatah, and this split is symbolic of the greater disconnect between what the Palestinians (and the larger Arab world) want and what they have received.
According to chief NBC foreign correspondent Richard Engel, the Saudis and the Egyptians gave Israel a green-light on this offensive. Why? Because neither of these two governments want to see Hamas in power, and in my opinion rightfully so. When you have so contentious a conflict do you really want extremists/rejectionists running the show?
I highly doubt that Hamas will get a better cease-fire agreement, if that is what they are after. It is possible that they may influence the upcoming elections in Israel to get their preferred leader (Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu) over Labor's Ehud Barak who seems to be on his way to victory. Is this an effort on the part of Hamas to rally their people around them - which war tends to do - in order to compensate for their failed governance in Gaza? Does this have anything to do with the incoming Obama administration? It's hard to make that connection, but to stretch the theory is it possible that they are setting a precedent for the months to come to test how Obama will react to Hamas provocations? And how heavy a hand Obama will have in dealing with Israel's reaction? Maybe, though that might be a stretch. Does Hamas think that in some way this will unite Fatah with them in the common enemy that is Israel? Such an outcome us unlikely, as reports came out of the West Bank yesterday that Fatah's security services were firing on Palestinian's who were rallying in support of Hamas' actions.
Another post can deal with what Israel could possibly want to get out this. The analysis here may seem one-sided against what Hamas has done, but the aim here is not to corner them, but rather, to raise the question of how they are benefiting the Palestinian cause. It is one thing to blindly support a side, but if the plight of the Palestinians is to be dealt with fairly and justly, then Hamas does not seem to have the solutions.
Nor do I believe that world leaders have the confidence in them to come to the table ready to talk and mediate fairly. An honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is missing, but I don't think that Hamas will inspire any leaders to be fair. After all, Israel exists and nothing will change that fact. If Hamas do not believe in the nation's right to exist then what kind of a peace can they possibly negotiate?
Most people already have their loyalties with either party and have endless arguments to justify whatever means are employed by their preferred side, no matter how brutal or counter-productive. Getting into that argument is tedious, but what one can't argue is that there is a murky cycle of violence perpetuated by the worst elements on either side. What came first, the chicken or the egg? Well the egg hatched long ago and many eggs later, the only way to move forward is to shed one's principled loyalties, bite the bullet and realize that just because a party officially represents a people, it does not mean that they are doing what is in the best interest of their people. Rejectionists like Hamas have their absolutist ideologies in mind, not their people's interests.
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