Hamas's wise step
[ 20/06/2008 - 12:35 AM ]
Palestinian children play on the beach in Deir al-Balah in the central
Gaza Strip
By Khalid Amayreh in the West Bank
The Egyptian-mediated ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Islamic
Resistance Movement (Hamas) is, ostensibly at least, a wise, dignified and
expedient step for several reasons.
To begin with, the ceasefire deal would suspend the daily acts of murder
and terror carried out by the Israeli occupation forces against the nearly
totally unprotected people of the Gaza Strip.
For years, the Gestapo-like Israeli army used excessive force, including
tanks, warplanes, heavy artillery and other lethal machines of death to wreak
death, havoc and terror on the civilian population of Gaza, resulting in the
murder and maiming of thousands of innocent people.
Thus, the latest arrangement would give the thoroughly tormented Gazans
a certain respite, however uncertain, from Israeli terror and criminality.
Moreover, the arrangement, which is due to go into effect Thursday
morning, is also supposed to lead to the gradual lifting of the 18-month-old
harsh and callous blockade Israel has been imposing on 1.5 million Palestinians
of the Gaza Strip.
This alone should be viewed as a worthy achievement if only because Gaza
was being decimated by a genocidal siege unprecedented since the Nazi blockade
of Ghetto Warsaw in 1943.
It is therefore hoped that the gradual dissipation of the nefarious
blockade, which really reflects the brutal ugliness of the Zionist mentality,
will allow Gaza to revive and rehabilitate itself and bring a smile back on
the faces of its tormented children and savaged men and women.
Needless to say, the decision by Hamas to accept the ceasefire is a
strong proof that Hamas is not a nihilistic organization, e.g. like al Qaeda,
as Israeli and Zionist hasbara has been trying to portray the
Palestinian-Islamic movement.
In fact, Hamas had always called for a cessation of violence in Gaza
whereby both sides would refrain from targeting innocent civilians. However,
it was always Israel, not Hamas, that rejected such calls by keeping up
murderous attacks on Palestinian civilians.
Israel, especially when addressing western audiences, repeatedly but
mendaciously claimed that its army didn't deliberately target innocent
Palestinians civilians.
However, that fact that hundreds of Palestinian children and other
civilians continued to be killed and maimed throughout the Gaza Strip, and else
where, eviscerated the Israeli pretensions of innocence of any veracity and
credibility. In the final analysis, Israel was not only a brutal murderer, but
a big a liar as well.
After all, killing knowingly is killing deliberately, and when the number
of innocent victims is so high, even intent becomes irrelevant.
There is no doubt that Hamas's heroic steadfastness, resilience and
patience are being vindicated.
Thus, the enduring vigor of Hamas and the people of Gaza, who defied
death and clang to life, should serve as a lesson for the Palestinian people
that steadfastness in the face of brute power eventually pays off.
This is also a lesson for the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority (PA)
that the stubbornness of justice can eventually triumph over the arrogance of
oppression.
Winners and losers
There is no doubt that the forces of peace and reason on all sides have
won against the forces of bellicosity, hatred and terror, especially in
Washington and Tel Aviv and some other regional capitals as well.
The people of Gaza, the victims of American-Israeli criminality, are
undoubtedly the biggest winners of this deal. At least, they can breathe again,
following 18 nightmarish months of unimagined brutality and ruthlessness.
In addition to the gung-ho neocons in Washington and war-drummers in Tel
Aviv who wanted to exterminate Hamas, not a small amount of consternation is
also likely to be permeating now in Ramallah where a Zionized group within
Fatah had been hoping to see the Israeli army overrun Gaza, murder hundreds,
and then hand Gaza over to the Fatah leadership on a silver platter.
On this occasion, one feels prompted to call on Fatah to eject these
traitors from their midst for the sake of Fatah itself and for the sake of
Palestine.
Vigilance
Non the less, it would be naïve, even stupid, to be carried away or give
Israel the benefit of the doubt by thinking that the Zionist regime is going to
abide by the agreement and terminate its murderous aggressions on our people.
Israel, after all, has repeatedly proven itself to be a venomous snake
which must never be trusted.
Hence, Palestinians, especially Hamas, ought to be constantly vigilant
and ready to repulse any Israeli aggression.
However, Hamas should make meticulous efforts to preserve the ceasefire
since doing so is first and foremost a supreme and paramount Palestinian
interest.
Hamas should also make it abundantly clear to the military wings of other
Palestinian factions that the security and safety of the people of Gaza must
not be subject to the whims of this or that faction.
In fact, preserving the ceasefire would send a positive message to the
international community that Hamas is responsible organization with which
"business can be made."
Moreover, a careful abidance by the agreement on Hamas's part would show
good- will toward Egypt whose support and backing is essential for the survival
of the Gaza Strip, at least at this juncture of the Palestinian struggle for
freedom and liberation from Zionism.
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