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« Decisive Battle in Gaza? | Main | Gaza's Collapsing Economy »
It's Almost Over...
June 14, 2007 7:31 AM
By SIMON MCGREGOR-WOOD
It’s almost over. Hamas gunmen have taken over one of Fatah’s last remaining strongholds, the Preventive Security Building in Gaza City.
Members of the Hamas military wing now control most of the Gaza Strip. There are checkpoints on every corner, and fighters in every tall building.
Fatah loyalists are hunkered down in their last few outposts, some are fleeing to Egypt and some are reportedly calling on Israel to help them get out.
All crossing points from Israel into the Gaza Strip are shut today. The men who run them on the Palestinian side, all from Fatah, have melted away.
And so just a few days after Hamas launched its takeover of power in Gaza, the job is almost done.
In the West Bank, Fatah still the stronger of the two, is nervous. Fatah gunmen have been rounding up Hamas political figures, hoping to keep the upper hand.
In Ramallah President Mahmoud Abbas is due to make an announcement later today. He is under pressure to disband the National Unity Government and declare emergency rule. It may be too late for that in Gaza.
In Israel they view the situation in Gaza with dismay. Newspaper headlines announce the arrival of Hamastan. Populist right wing politicians and commentators are popping up to say “we told you so”, and some are now talking about the three state solution: Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.
It is difficult to see how Israel will be persuaded to deal with Gaza exclusively in the grip of Hamas. But the two lands are deeply connected, Israel supplies power and water to Gaza, and it controls its food and medical supplies.
Some people in Gaza are saying this had to happen. One side had to come out on top. The two groups couldn’t work together. Months of fighting proved that. Now that Hamas is in charge, some say, there will at last be order on the streets.
June 14, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (2)
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We should not be providing any aid to the Palestinians they are sworn enemies of Israel and always will be. We should be doing all we can to help Israel and providing them with all the resources they need to protect themselves from all Arabs.
Posted by: endtimes777 | Jun 18, 2007 7:02:51 PM
The terrorist mercenaries are not just enemies of Israel. They are enemies of all countries. We should not provider any aid to terrorist organizations, nor should we support those who do.
Posted by: Tammy Stickers | Jul 30, 2007 11:28:16 AM
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