Hamas and Nonviolence?

The Palestinian political and terrorist group Hamas has been known to commit acts of violence since the First Intifada (Uprising against Israel), from 1987-93. This is also when Hamas began to gain political momentum in the Palestinian territories, with a goal to liberate Palestine and unite the territories into one Islamic state. Between 2001 to May 2008, Hamas launched more than 3,000 Qassam rockets and 2,500 mortar attacks into Israel. The attacks by Palestinians are often reported as the start of the altercations between the two nations, though this isn't the simple truth. Moreover, since December 2011, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal has anounced the group is committed to a tactical change towards non-violence, following the example of the Arab Spring. It is also pushing for elections and a long-needed unity between the two sides of Palestine. And by agreeing to do so is implicitly recognising Israel.  Albeit Israel has ignored these claims without a change in its strategy towards Gaza.

 Haniyeh—the Prime Minister of Gaza

Since Israel was founded as an independent state in 1948, it has gone on a rampage to control land they believed theirs, but was already owned. The common line was to say it only had a few herders and goats, in truth the land had been farmed and occupied by Palestinians for millenia.

Despite Hamas being elected in Gaza in 2008, which legitimises the terrorist group and its actions, the Guardian reported the group would shift tactics towards nonviolent resistance “as part of a raprochement with the Palestinian Authority (PA)”. Though it was not a full repudiation of violence, the group asked its members to halt attacking Israel. Haniyeh, the Prime Minister of Gaza stated Hamas would agree to the PA's call for the '67 borders, this is an implicit acceptance of Israel, which it had hitherto denied.

Hamas is not the only terrorist group in Palestine, so its potential abdication of violence won't stop attacks on Israel, but it is the most influential.

The group later on said nonviolence would “draw world sympathy”, as the Arab Spring-style protests “have the power of a Tsunami”.

Subsequent Palestinian protests include the more-than-traditional shoe-throwing to a UN envoy with Ban Ki-moon in January, hunger strikes, and a called-for cyber-attack on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

According to Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper coverage from the 18th of December to the beginning of March, Israel dismissed the Palestinian ceasefire and even started preparing for more “painful and forceful” incursions into Gaza, according to an Israeli Defence Force Commander. Indeed, even after the press release in December, Israel has continued to attack the Palestinian territories, targeting “Jihad operatives” but always wounding civilians. Hamas MP's, including the leader of the Palestinian parliament, and others involved in “Hamas activities” have also been detained in their own territory.

Israeli journalist Gideon Levy says “most of the media is systematically obscuring the situation”, and he adds with contempt: “over the [New Year's] weekend, the IDF took pride in the fact that its troops killed 100 Palestinians in Gaza over the past year, a year in which barely a single Israeli was killed”.

This is not the first time the world's media is biased against Palestine, and the peace efforts by hitherto terrorist group Hamas- a group which must be noted isn't considered terrorist by Russia, the Arab League, Turkey and Switzerland. Merav Michaeli in the Ha'aretz explains how Israel ignored peace initiatives initiated by Saudi and ratified by the Arab League in 2002 and 2007.

Israel says it does not trust the deal between Hamas and Fatah, the most important party in the internationally-recognised Palestian representative body, the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO). Particularly the Hamas element. Due to past violence, Israel says Hamas is not committed to peace. Israel, however does not want the PLO to seek for independence through the UN nor does the country want to continue the peace talks.

On the one hand this can be explained by Hamas' close ties to Syria and Iran. Khaled Meshal, leader of Hamas, was based in Damascus until recently. However he is moving to Jordan, where there are almost 2 million refugees, as he has recently restored ties with the king. His departure from Damascus follows the group's rejection of Assad's regime. This has put the relationship with Iran in a strain, and now Turkey has taken over the role of prime-fundraiser of Hamas. Iran has severed the money-flow.

On the other hand, there isn't full unity in the Hamas party. Ismael Haniyeh, elected Prime Minister of Gaza has not cut down his anti-zionist rhetoric. While he doesn't disagree with Meshal's desire for a Palestinian Arab Spring, he has recent statements in Tehran saying “the gun is the only response to the zionist regime” and “Hamas will never recognise Israel”.

If Hamas keep to their promise though, elections in the whole of Palestine will put Haniyeh's position on the line, these elections are initially scheduled for May.

Israel's position is untenable. It refuses to accept advances made by Hamas, even though it has kept to its promises since December. Meanwhile Israeli settlements, decreed illegal by the UN, are continuing their spread across Palestinian territories, the trade exports out of Gaza is limited to 18 trucks a day and recently Gaza's only power plant was shut down for days- leaving in the dark 1.7 million people, with schools, hospitals and water pumps closed.

Here in OGNA we support Hamas in their plight for nonviolence. At the same time we reject Israel's inhuman approach to both sides of Palestine, as they slowly leak people through the borders to refugee camps. A fourth, more peaceful intifada is necessary and any group prepared to let the people of Palestine have their say should support the Palestinian struggle.