Hamas Feels the Heat
This is turning out to be a frustrating summer for Hamas.
The Egyptians, who issued a verbal condemnation yesterday of Hamas's involvement in Monday's rocket attack from Egyptian territory on Israel and Jordan, are now stepping up action. They have declared a state of emergency in the Sinai Peninsula, are conducting a manhunt for people involved in Monday's attack, are "scouring" Egyptian territory for trucks they believe to have been used in the attack, are boosting patrols by APCs along the Egyptian-Israeli border, and have raised Egypt's security alert to the highest level.
And they're getting help. Yuval Diskin, the head of Shin Bet, is allegedly in Egypt as I type this, according to London-based Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. And the Palestinian Authority, Hamas's rival on the West Bank, states that its intelligence has confirmed that Raed al-Atar, the commander of Hamas's military wing in Rafah, ordered the attack.
Meanawhile, back at home, Gazans are speaking out publicly against Hamas, whom they blame for an explosion on Monday that obliterated eight civilian homes, damaged 30 more and injured over 50 people in the middle of the Deir el-Balah refugee camp. Izzadin Kassam, the military wing of Hamas, predictably blamed Israel for the explosion, but the residents of Deir el-Balah say that this time, they're not backing that lie. They have apparently implored Hamas in the past not to store or manufacture arms in the middle of the camp, but "were quickly silenced." Some of them appear to be tired of staying quiet.
And that's not all. If you recall, last week the Arab League gave the Palestinian Authority its blessing to proceed to direct negotiations with the Israelis. Abbas is reluctant to move forward without some stiff preconditions, but now the Saudis have jumped in to ease his way to the table. King Abdullah met with Abbas yesterday, a sit-down that was allegedly engineered by the Americans. Abdullah is believed to be offering the PA a financial sweetener. Abbas is thus being encouraged to sit down with Israel by the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the collective voice of the Arab League. Hamas is being left behind.
So how is Hamas responding to these setbacks? Here's today's headline in Haaretz: "Hamas leaders in Syria urge West Bank operatives to kidnap Israeli settlers."
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May '10
Re: Hamas Feels the Heat
Ahhh, if only the temperature could be raised higher.