During a time when divisions among people throughout the world are running rampant, probably one of the most divisive issues at present is taking place in the Middle-East; a place where upheaval and violence are daily occurrences and have been that way almost since Partition.
At issue is Gaza and a situation which has spiraled out of control, maybe past the point of no return and one where people – regular people on both sides of this catastrophe are stuck squarely in the middle between two warring factions; and the ones who only want to live peaceful lives – Israelis as well as Palestinians.
On one side are the Palestinians, whose government and indeed lives, have been hijacked by Hamas – religious extremists committed to pursuing an ideology that is guaranteed to have no positive ending. But on the other side are the Israelis, dominated by the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu and the religious extremist faction that has hijacked Israel – both sides are pledged to eradicate the other – but at the center are the people whose lives being turned upside down; decimated, reviled and persecuted – not just in the Middle East but all over the world. Glowing with a hatred that spreads like wildfire and one where the innocents are gunned down, violently confronted – with mosques and temples destroyed, the fragile fabric of peaceful coexistence torn to shreds and reduced to dust.
To give you an idea we’re not covering new territory (although this time it may have gone too far), the BBC World Service as part of its Assignment series did a documentary on Gaza and an issue which took place in 2007 when Hamas was was trying desperately to take over the region.
I ran across this article published in 2022 by The Jewish News Syndicate and written by Yaakov Lappin, writing about another time when Hamas was at the center of a controversy and once again, the Palestinians were trapped in the middle:
15 years since Hamas took Gaza: ‘Most dramatic development in Palestinian arena’
Israeli observers say if Israel Defense Forces were not in the West Bank, there is no doubt that another Hamas coup would occur, much like the fateful events that occurred in June 2007 in the Gaza Strip • Is Hamas preparing to make its move on the day after the departure of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas?
Yaakov Lappin
“Fifteen years ago, in June 2007, the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict underwent a seismic shift. The Islamist terror faction Hamas seized power in the Gaza Strip through a series of deadly raids, firing rockets and mortars at Fatah-run Palestinian Authority bases and storming their positions. In brutal executions, Hamas hurled P.A. personnel to their deaths from rooftops and conducted shootouts in hospitals, forcing many of the remaining P.A. personnel to flee to the West Bank.
Looking back at the Palestinian arena over the past generation, Col. (res.) David Hacham, a former Arab-affairs adviser to seven Israeli defense ministers and a senior research associate at the MirYam Institute, told JNS that “there is no doubt that the main, most significant and dramatic development has been Hamas’s takeover of the Gaza Strip and its forceful expulsion, through the use of violence, of the Palestinian Authority and its personnel from the area.”
This event had a long-term impact on all subsequent internal Palestinian developments, particularly on the balance of power between Hamas and Fatah, and on the nature of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, he said.
“The takeover of Gaza by Hamas was one of the peaks in the process of Hamas’s build-up of force [since its founding in 1987] and in its efforts to promote its strategic aspiration to turn into the leading, dominant force in the Palestinian system,” said Hacham.
These efforts, which are ongoing today, are accompanied by constant attempts to erode the position of the rival Fatah movement as part of Hamas’s goal of taking over the P.A. and the PLO, according to Hacham.
Despite the surprise of the Hamas coup for many observers, it was ultimately an expected step, he said, since it is one station in the terror group’s planned journey to realize its strategic goals, which include the eventual destruction of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian-Islamic state.
In June 2007, Hacham was serving as an Arab-affairs adviser to the office of the Israeli defense minister, responsible for coordinating contacts with an Egyptian security delegation that was active at the time in Gaza.
“I remember the dramatic events that occurred at that time well,” he said. “Especially the urgent phone call I received from the Egyptian General Burhan Hamad, who headed the delegation of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate in the Strip. He told me with great emotion about what was taking place on the ground and asked that I assist in rescuing him from the area. In the end, he was able to reach Rafah Crossing and to exit safely to the Egyptian side,” recalled Hacham.
Ultimately, he said, the Hamas takeover of Gaza created a two-headed Palestinian ruling system in which each center of power is separated from the other by geography, politics, religious orientation and demographics. As a result, said Hacham, the P.A. in effect became a crippled entity, vulnerable and exposed to pressure, which does not represent the entire Palestinian population or territories in which it lives.”
This is only an excerpt and I would urge you to take a look at the entire piece which was written two years ago but which also gives you an idea this is not new. Also is the Assignment Documentary from 2007.
Challenging times, ones that call for a clear head – I would urge you to read all you can – investigate everything – ask questions – take nothing for granted. This is history and this is important – it can (and will) impact you.
