Hamas a New Regional Player.. Awaiting Redrawing Political Map

Hamas a New Regional Player.. Awaiting Redrawing Political Map

After the atrocities of the war of Gaza, the Zionist enemy’s crimes and the steadfastness of Gaza Strip ,of people, factions, Resistance and government, and before starting to calculate profits and losses for all parties, everyone became aware that “Hamas” and the resistance have become a regional player must be borne in mind before taking any step.


The Zionist enemy did not set clear goals for its campaign for many reasons, among it is the fear of being subjected to a new commission of inquiry such as that headed by Judge Vinograd which was stricter than Kahana and Agranat commissions. Another reason is distracting and confusing Palestinians and Arabs, as we see Netanyahu praising the war leaders despite their brutality.


Bidders say the campaign hasn’t achieved key objectives which is keeping Hamas and the option of resistance out of the equation in order to subject the rest of Palestinians for a very long time as happened with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) which raised the slogan of an armed struggle and the result was crossing out this objective from the organization’s program and starting negotiations, for more than half a century, without reaching any result.


Since Palestinians gained nothing but more oppression, division and returning back to Gaza- Zionist struggle after it was Palestinian-Zionist and originally was an Arab-Zionist struggle.


Perhaps the devil of Olmert, Livni and Barak who led the campaign and wanted to collect the seeds of its success next elections, had inspired them not to go further until completely destroying Hamas or taking away all its weapons with a percentage of 100% instead of 70% as they claim (its been said that fractions have 1200 missile, launched only 800 of it during war) or to force Hamas leaders to surrender and ask for negotiations for peace under the Zionist conditions, after the Egyptian attempts failed and the ways of deceiving used by Abu Mazen and other mediators.


All these reasons led to the war which was prepared to in advance.


Unfortunately, Arabs don’t learn from their enemies and they cannot identify them despite the slogan of “Know your Enemy” since the failure in 1970’s war. Despite all pro-formalizers who claimed they were studying the enemy and trying to understand its psychology and ways of thinking, ways of working and its plans to control over the region, they did not provide us with anything useful.


Meanwhile, Hamas has to realize that despite all sacrifices and victims it came out politically stronger with more popular support and expectations from it. It also became a regional player by attending “Gaza Summit” in Doha with Hamas leaders and attending also the “economic summit” in Kuwait through those who supported the option of resistance.


Hamas had started a peaceful resistance movement during the first Intifada recognizing the difficulty of starting an armed resistance and was limited and bound by Oslo Agreement and suffered the forceful displacement of more than 400 of its leader to Marj Elzohour, Southern Lebanon, and came back with heads up to lead Palestinian people and enter a new plight by the Palestinian National Authority which assured the enemies commitment to Oslo resolutions.


Sharm El Sheikh Summit of 1996 with the former President of the US Bill Clinton and leaders of the region was aiming at combating terrorism intended to blockade the Palestinian resistance, especially after its qualitative transformation and using white arms which quickly evolved to firearms and martyrdom operations.


Hamas had suffered Palestinian Security campaigns in 1996 until the outbreak of the second Intifada (ALaqsa Intifada) after Sharon’s suspected visit to Alquds. This intifda was harshest and more painful to the enemy and included many martyrdom operations raised lots of questions about the resistance, especially the 11th of September events and the spread of the idea of suicide operations 


Arafat chose a new option that falls between resistance and negotiations and the half opened door, and he paid the price for this; blockade and martyrdom. He died faithful to Palestine and raised the principles of martyrdom and non-compromising on national values. 


Hamas gained, as a result of its resilience and steadfastness, a mass support in Gaza and the West Bank.


European – American- Zionist- Regional attempts were made to include it in the political process (as a trial only, not as a moral or political commitment) in addition to containing it and making its leaders try the taste of power and authority and meet with leaders..etc. however Hamas, without planning, won the majority and formed a single government after “Fatah” refused to participate, then a government of national unity due to Arab and International pressures with a Hamas demand and conviction while factions refused to put their hands in the hands of those who don’t understand politics like those who are expertise and manipulated all parties through all the time.


The Developing events are known to all except of this part: Blockading and starvation for Gaza, deliberate division of the land and power between Gaza and the West Bank, the imposition of a government that only represent the donors since the corruption of “Fatah”, the rejection of Hamas and Abu Mazen’s determination on crossing out the option of resistance as a right or as a paper to support its position in negotiations and running after the mirage of Annapolis which was covered by the burning of UN premises which turned it into “Nothing”.


Today Hamas needs to have a serious stop for an honest and objective review, without the calculation of profits and losses, not only to stop at the war on Gaza, who won and who got defeated since this will be studied by historians, thinkers and observers. Not only to stop when getting ready for a new round with the enemy, which might happen very soon, since the enemy realized that their goals haven’t been achieved and magic turned against the magician.


The demand is further than that: Searching for an answer to the question: what is the alternative, especially after the failure of the closing statement of Kuwait Summit to adopt Doha Summit resolution to suspend the Arab initiative for peace?


What is needed is a clear road map to the resistance option and the limits of the wishes and aspirations of the Palestinian people to an independent state, liberation of Jerusalem and the return of refugees, at least accepted by Hamas and some or most of the fictions in a two-state solution, recommended internationally and known in advance that any negotiations would never work since the enemy would only accept a complete compliance regarding Jerusalem and return of the refugees and would never relinquish settlements. 


A vision for the future is needed, where Palestinians refusing to compromise on these rights –and it’s a right for them- and resistance by all means – which is an honor for them and for us- and those rejecting the surrender and comply- a position of every free and honorable person- a vision where all of these can show to the world after “the war on Gaza”. 


Steadfastness is an honor, resistance held our heads high, and the withdrawal of the enemy after the Nazis campaign which killed hundreds of children, women and civilians is a reasonable winning of a round in a battle that lasted for a hundred years, according to the British magazine “the Economist”. 


This legendary steadfastness has attracted enormous popular support in most parts of the world. This support includes great diversity needs: 


1- A humanitarian message able to address all these kids of diversity.


2- A good framework ensures its continuity.


3- To turn it into a political influence for the governments.


Many and major changes had happened in the Arab attitude and in Egypt’s attitude in particular which has a confused position after it’s files became complicated and interests overlapped and internal with external threats mixed up. Palestine as a whole, not only Gaza, needs a firm and supportive Egyptian position.


Meanwhile Hamas wants ti make the mediation for reconciliation not only Egyptian but Arab mediation, and it has the right to do so as it sensed a biad to “Abu Mazen” as a person not even to “Fatah”, to “Dahlan” not even to “Marawan” for example. 


Qatar became a regional player, but the limits of its role are known and cannot be relied upon much. All it can provide is “Aljazeera” to be a platform to the resistant media and reasonable financial support in addition to playing the role of the mediator to some international actors who wants to negotiate with Hamas but don’t want to announce it at the current stage. 


The Turkish role is welcomed by Arabs and Egyptians in particular unlike the Iranian role which was played skillfully on supporting the resistance for the Iranian national interests and benefited from this support much more than the resistance itself benefited from it.


Turks may have a significant interest in playing a role in the Palestinian file in order to achieve other interests in the European file. 


“Today is a new day in America” as said by Obama in his inauguration speech, which requires an honest review by Hamas to the American and European position, since a justifiable or even a temporary solution, for Palestinians to have a break cannot be reached without a fundamental American role with a European supportive role without sensing, by all, that the Palestinian side is not only holding on and has a vision too. Here Hamas needs to review the martyrdom operations which were imposed due to certain conditions, by which it was used as an excuse to be classified as a terrorist movement. 


Without reaching a real Palestinian unity to support this vision, which should be framed by Hamas and the Resistance, Palestinians wouldn’t reach concrete results since the enemy and some regional parties are not concerned with solving the issue or even lifting the suffering of the Palestinians and pours oil on the fire of the Palestinian divisions.


Hamas has to realize that it cannot cross out any Palestinian faction in addition to “Abu Mazen” and the authority. 


Meanwhile, the reconstruction of Gaza forces the dealing with the government of Ismail Haneyah and enhances its legitimacy, and no one can impose another fact on the people of Gaza.


Hamas has to start thinking calmly and review honestly its calculations, since it started a new phase which needs a cool mind and a passion for the great interest of the Palestinian people.  


* Quoted from “Al Hayat” Newspaper, London