Hamas takes full control of Gaza
An uneasy calm has returned to the Gaza Strip where Hamas is in full control following a series of attacks on key strongholds of its rival, Fatah.
On its first day of rule, Hamas said it had released several top Fatah military commanders under a prisoner "amnesty".
At least 100 people have died during a week of factional fighting.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has dissolved the Hamas-led unity government and is expected to name a caretaker administration within hours.
However, Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, of Hamas, said his government would ignore Mr Abbas's "hasty decision" and would press on and impose decisive law and order.
Relative calm
On Friday, vehicles returned to the roads and shops were open in Gaza. Few armed men were visible on the streets and there were reports of only sporadic gunfire.
The relative calm followed scenes of violence on Thursday as Hamas fighters seized remaining Fatah positions including the headquarters of Fatah's Preventative Security force and the presidential compound in Gaza City.
Hamas said it had captured several top Fatah military leaders, including the commanders of the National Security force and of the Presidential Guard.
However, the Islamist group later said it would release them unharmed as part of an "amnesty".
Meanwhile, Egyptian police said that about 100 senior Fatah officials had fled from Gaza into Egypt overnight aboard a fishing boat.
The Palestinian officials are thought to belong to Fatah's Preventive Security forces. They were transferred to police camps in Egypt where the wounded received treatment.
About 200 other Fatah security workers have already sought refuge in Egypt, officials said.
Hamas said it planned to take control of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, which was patrolled by Fatah's Presidential Guard until the outbreak of violence on Saturday.
Rule by decree
President Abbas dismissed the three-month-old unity government on Thursday and declared a state of emergency.
He is expected to name an interim administration on Friday. He has said he will rule by presidential decree until the conditions are right for early elections.
Under the Palestinian Basic Law, essentially the Palestinian constitution, the president can rule by decree for 30 days. This can be extended with the approval of the parliament.
The BBC's Matthew Price in Jerusalem says this may be an irrelevance, as Mr Abbas appears to no longer have any influence in Gaza.
Our correspondent says the West Bank and Gaza Strip will now effectively be split from one another - Gaza run by Hamas and the West Bank by Fatah.
There are also fears that violence will spread to the West Bank, where Fatah is dominant. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, affiliated to Fatah, has called for "martial law".
Hamas won a surprise victory in Palestinian elections in early 2006 but has since been engaged in an intermittently violent power struggle with Fatah.
Hamas, an Islamic organisation, rose to prominence in Gaza during two Palestinian uprisings and refuses to recognise or negotiate with Israel.
Fatah, a secular political grouping headed by Mr Abbas, ran the Palestinian Authority until 2006 and officially recognises Israel.
Finally something new, its actually no war in Gaza right now!
I do not understand why they fight eachother. I would be lying if I said it makes me sad, but still.
All are arabs, all are palestinians, all are muslims et c.
And they are occupied by Israel.
Because the State of Israel is there, it's people are there, and they now have been there for sixty years. The chance to remove them came and went with successive military defeats. The 'right', as far as there is one, is one of occupation; like it or not every single state on the planet was established by the same 'right'.
You can argue legal niceties all you like, but the simple fact is that the State of Israel is there to stay. At some point it will be necessary to accept that fact, as both Fatah and most Arab governments have done. Only then can a prosperous future be forged for the Palestinian people; it is possible, but must be based on reality not fantasy.
I can't agree with you,to me Fatah and these Arab governments that you intend are traitors.
you have to understand .. it's OUR rights, and we are senseful enough to know it.
Because the State of Israel is there, it's people are there, and they now have been there for sixty years. The chance to remove them came and went with successive military defeats. The 'right', as far as there is one, is one of occupation; like it or not every single state on the planet was established by the same 'right'.
You can argue legal niceties all you like, but the simple fact is that the State of Israel is there to stay. At some point it will be necessary to accept that fact, as both Fatah and most Arab governments have done. Only then can a prosperous future be forged for the Palestinian people; it is possible, but must be based on reality not fantasy.
The truth is tht no matter how much we try to explain the resons for hamas actions, these pro israeli-americans here will never accept the truth and reality.they have been brainwashed by their government and media, so they see hamas as an enemy, a threat and a 'terrorist' group. so trying to explain to them jst causes unnecessary repitition, its hard to change a fixed prejudiced and biased mind.
Somebody has been brainwashed. That is certain. Has the BBC brainwashed us? The BBC reporter that was kidnapped in Gaza consistently filed reports emapthetic to the Palestinians. What group of short-sighted idiots kidnapped him?
I can understand why Palestininians would be fed up with the ineptitude and corruption of the PA, but if Hamas wants to be accepted as a poltical party which desires peace then simply changing their charter would go a long way toward that purpose. It might also help their image a bit if they also stopped lobbing unguided rockets into civilian areas.
Of course, you will respond by telling me that Israel did <insert retributions X here> and that Hamas are freedom fighters. We have heard all that, but the inescapable reality is that Israel is not going to go away. There are two options...unending conflict where neither side can achieve full victory or movement toward accomodation and peace. Take your pick. I won't hold my breath.
I can't agree with you,to me Fatah and these Arab governments that you intend are traitors.
you have to understand .. it's OUR rights, and we are senseful enough to know it.
Iam sorry your answer is straight-out.
They could be "traitors" of perhaps they have come to the pragmatic recognition that the elimination of the State of Israel by force is simply not possible.
Well I guess its time to make the Gaza strip white now?
My personal opinion about this, I dont care. Do you care wich tribe rules Liberia? Wich people will hold goverment in Uganda?
No you dont care at all? No opinion? Exactly, then why care about an EVEN SMALLER and less important desert strip that is the holy land?
alhamdullilah!finally lets hope that they practice the shariah the right way and not turn out corrupt like fatah.god i hate that traitor mahmud abbas.he's such a munafiq.may allah guide him .
Well I guess its time to make the Gaza strip white now?
My personal opinion about this, I dont care. Do you care wich tribe rules Liberia? Wich people will hold goverment in Uganda?
No you dont care at all? No opinion? Exactly, then why care about an EVEN SMALLER and less important desert strip that is the holy land?
[/IMG]
I know what you mean. It would seem Gaza needs to be a third color now. You think a two state solution was difficult? Now we need a 3 state solution.
I don't suppose the residents of Gaza would want to become Egyptian?
The US isolation of Gaza after Hamas's takeover of the impoverished strip, home to 1.5 million Palestinians, would have grave security and humanitarian consequences and backfire at the end of the day...
Led by the US , the West slapped economic siege on the Palestinians since Hamas was voted to power last year, greatly affecting livelihood in the Palestinian lands...
"What are we going to do with Gaza . Light it up on fire?" the diplomat told Reuters, requesting anonymity.
Aid groups have further expressed deep concerns at isolating the Gaza Strip, which is already hit by the worst humanitarian crisis in decades due to the west's boycott.
"The borders need to be open," John Ging, head of the UN agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), told AFP.
"We cannot collectively punish 1.5 million people in the Gaza Strip. They are already living in miserable conditions."
Tiger In A Cage
I saw a tiger in a cage
His eyes glinting with rage
Something lacking in this page;
I sought the advice of a sage
Concisely said, no verbiage:
A natural law of old age
Captivity breeds outrage.
nope, that belongs (and should be) to the Jews. i wouldn't oppose to it being controlled bythe UN.. but not to palestine.
the Jews should also get more power in hebron.. i mean come on man, if you think about it.. if the Christians went and took over mecca, you would be offended. why? because mecca is the muslim place. it's the most holy city to islam. well, for Judaism it is Jerusalem and Hebron. i know these places are sacred to muslims too, and that's fine.. but ultimetely, they belong to the Jews. if not, it should too be a UN buffer zone type thing where the JEws and muslims can live together, and there is no muslim interest military or Jewish interest military.
Last edited by thirdwatch512; 06-18-2007 at 09:24 AM.
The truth is tht no matter how much we try to explain the resons for hamas actions, these pro israeli-americans here will never accept the truth and reality.they have been brainwashed by their government and media, so they see hamas as an enemy, a threat and a 'terrorist' group. so trying to explain to them jst causes unnecessary repitition, its hard to change a fixed prejudiced and biased mind.
assalamu alaykum
I am not a 'pro israeli-americans' and don't put it past my government to tell me falsities.
Its said by many Muslims that non-believer’s are blind.
Well if I can get a post on here without it being deleted I’d like to get what I see out so that it can be made clear for me.
It’s not my intention to cause fitnah (dissention) or to caste Islam in a bad light but I can see already that my aims will have fingers hovering over the ‘trash it’ button. Why oh why cant contentious issues are discussed with out blasphemy charges being made, everyone insulted, wounded and flying of the handle.
In this forum the some one said the Palestinian struggle is political not religious yet ‘allahu akba’ is screamed every time someone is killed. I ask you, how can anyone not think that religion is at the bottom of it? This type of statement is so frustrating because you can’t understand why one would.
I know next to nothing of history and have never known a Jew personally but from what I understand they’ve been burned, bashed and beaten from the time of Jesus so I can’t help but feel for them and from what I understand we’re originally chased from Jerusalem by Muhammad (pbuh) so why not let them have isreal. Face it, they’ve turned the place into a benefit…. Oops here comes the trash bin…
Why do you not accept there is a strong religious reason that the Arabs cannot live peacefully and accept the benefits of such a people? Do you deny Muhammad (pbuh) made the Jews pigs and donkeys that they will never be accepted by Allah (saw) and that this is taught in the Maddrassa?
You say I maybe brainwashed, blind.
This is so frustrating for the non-believer (Australian, Sydney-born Sheik Feiz Mohamed, described non-Muslims as “Kaffir, the worst word that can ever be written … a sign of infidelity, disbelief, filth, a sign of dirt.”). Sheik Feiz has been in Lebanon in self exile ‘instilling in the young tender hearts of children the love of jihad’ (his words) where he still draws social security payments from the Australian government.
Please show me where I am blind because this is not comfortable for me.
I have a funny feeling people are running for the 'delete this button' right about now.
You will tell me this is not Islamic and he is wrong and yet this is a loud and constant message coming form the ummah by and large.
However, the established pattern has been for Muslim academics and commentators to greet controversy with silence. Why?
One reason is conformity (according to Bashir Goth, a Muslim journalist and writer: "As Muslims we may claim to possess all the good virtues in the world but we definitely lack one very important virtue - that of self-criticism - while the West is at least blessed with this virtue.")
There are some awkward questions that cannot be avoided indefinitely but I have no faith in you religious people to even allow my questions here as you are unable to question even yourselves less you weaken your faith. "O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. Some people before you did ask such questions, and on that account lost their faith." (Surah 5:102-103)
After 9/11 I became interested in Islam (good you say, God works in mysterious ways) but it was the Jews and CIA did it for political reasons and if Bin Laden did do it then it was not Islam because Islam means peace!
Questioning further I learn that Islam actually means surrender. Surrender to Islam then there is peace. Isn’t that an important clarification to understand?
"Allah's Apostle said, ‘some eloquent speech is as effective as magic.'" Imam Abu Hammid Ghazali, one of the most famous and respected Muslim theologians, says: "Speaking is a means to achieve objectives. If a praiseworthy aim is attainable through both telling the truth and lying, it is unlawful to accomplish through lying because there is no need for it. When it is possible to achieve such an aim by lying but not by telling the truth, it is permissible to lie if attaining the goal is permissible." It’s called takiya.
Reading this guy’s testimony answered many of the inconsistent messages of Muslims.
No compulsion in religion comes from a story about the Quarysh where Muhammad (pbuh) said there should be no compulsion to leave Islam… that’s it. Everywhere else is compulsions to convert to Islam! Death penalty for someone who leaves it!
Some of you will now tell me that all these things you speak are true but these were things in time of war, apostasy was treason and traitors should be killed and it’s not halal to kill the innocent. Aren’t you practicing takiya or are you ignorant of the teachings of your own religion? Dar-alislam and Dar-alhab, house of peace and house of war.
Sincerely I ask, don’t you want an end to the killing then I ask you to question what is being said and done through the blinkered vision of Islam today. Question, did the West save the Muslims in Kosovo? Did the West go to the aid of Saudi Arabia at the Saudi’s request when Saddam Hussein invaded it after the oil fields? Didn’t Bin Laden get pissed off when the Saudi’s rejected his help and then become their enemy? Didn’t the West support Afghanistan against the Russian’s? Didn’t the USA invade Afghanistan because Bin Laden attacked America and the Taliban wouldn’t hand him over? Didn’t America invade Iraq because Saddam, trying to intimidate his Arab neighbors convince everyone that he had weapons of mass destruction?
Muslims want to live in peace? You have got to be kidding!! Again more Muslims have killed other Muslims in the last 100 years than the kaffirs have ever killed the Muslims. Pakistani soldiers of Allah butchered 3 million Bangladeshis in 1971. Why? Iran has killed how many of its own people to impose sharia? How many Muslims have been killed in Afghanistan by the Taliban because they were not Muslim enough? Who is killing and raping and enslaving in Sudan right now? Who has been killing Muslims in Algeria and in Yemen over the last 30 years? Why play the victim? Poor Muslims! It is the Muslims who kill other Muslims!! Why can't you be honest for a second? How many Muslims have the Israelis killed in the last sixty years? How many Muslims have the Palestinians killed? How many Muslims did Saddam kill? How many Muslims did Assad of Syria kill? Assad wiped out 20,000 in a single day when he leveled the town of Hama. Learn to count and see who has been killing the Muslims around the world. And all this killing is being done in the name of Allah (saw).
You say as a non-believer that I can never see the truth but please persevere with me because I do want to see and I have put a lot of work in this post so you can correct me.
Sure Hamas is enraged the the Jews are on what is considered Arab land but they want them dead for the love of Allah (saw).
Plexus dont try to trick someone that you are a muslim ok, for ex. your stupid assertions give you up
Muslims want to live in peace? You have got to be kidding!! Again more Muslims have killed other Muslims in the last 100 years than the kaffirs have ever killed the Muslims. Pakistani soldiers of Allah butchered 3 million Bangladeshis in 1971. Why? Iran has killed how many of its own people to impose sharia?
Pakistani soldiers of Allah, hehehe; you make me laugh man, really. We as muslims have a principle in aqidah that is - to fight against a muslim is kufr- especially kufr (disbelief) when aiding the disbeliever against the muslim.
So these so called muslims who aid nonmulims against muslims, can go back to Allahs book and the tradition of his prophet for reform
As far so called Israel is concerned, its there 60 years, remember that crusaders seized Palestine for 100 years and after that we defeated them. Furthermore, there is the prophecy of Muhamed a.s. about the defeat of the jews by the hands of muslims; the problem with fatah and the arabs who fought against so called Israel was that they were nonpractising muslims, secular (democrats and communists) and not moderate. The ones who will liberate Palestine, all of it from coast to coast, are described in the quran by Allah as " our servants" and this tittle is not given, for a so called secular muslim. The Most High said : 138. To the hypocrites give the glad tidings that there is for them a grievous penalty;-
139. Those who take for friends unbelievers rather than believers: is it honor they seek among them? Nay,- All honor is with Allah.
(Tawbah)
The Most High Said: 51. O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust. (Nisa)
the real friends are our muslim brothers not some pagans or crusaders, The Most High said:
55. Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers,- those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship).
Prophet Muhamed a.s. said: “There will never cease to be a group from my Ummah, fighting upon the truth victorious until the Day of Judgement... and then Isa bin Maryam a.s. will come and their amir will say: Come and lead us in the prayer!, he shall say: No, you are amirs over each other as an honor from Allah to this Ummah(nation)"-Muslim “There will never cease to be a group from my Ummah fighting upon the command of Allah The Mighty and Sublime, overpowering their enemies. They will not be harmed by those that oppose them until the Hour comesupon them and they are upon that"-Muslim
and from Salamah ibn Nufail al- who said: " I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah a.s. when a man said: "Oh Messenger of Allah! The people have held on to the horses and laid down their weapons and said:'there is no Jihad for the war has laid down its burdens.' So the Messenger of Allah a.s. turned his face away and said:'they have lied. Now the time for fighting has come. There will never cease to be a group from my Ummah that fights upon the truth. Allah will deviate the hearts of some by way of them, and provide for them from them until the establishment of the hour and until the promise of Allah comes. Good shall remain in the manes of horses until the Day of Judgement. It has been revealed to me that I will die and not remain and that you all will follow up after me, aome striking the necks of others, and the base of the abode of the believers is in Sham(Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and part of Iraq)." -Sahih narrated by Nesai
Plexus dont try to trick someone that you are a muslim ok, for ex. your stupid assertions give you up
Pakistani soldiers of Allah, hehehe; you make me laugh man, really. We as muslims have a principle in aqidah that is - to fight against a muslim is kufr- especially kufr (disbelief) when aiding the disbeliever against the muslim.
So these so called muslims who aid nonmulims against muslims, can go back to Allahs book and the tradition of his prophet for reform
Who is authorized to rule that a Muslim is really an apostate or munafiq? Lets take someone like President Karzai or Prime-minister Alawi. I assume you believe it is okay to fight (and kill) them since they are aiding the kafirs? Yet, they claim they are Muslims, do you have the authority to judge otherwise? If you don't, who has? Karzai and Alawi are obvious cases, but what about King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia? President Mubarak? Boutaflika in Algeria? There are muhajedeen in all these countries fighting wars against these leaders and governments in name of Islam. If fighting against Muslims is kufr, either these Muhajedeen are kufr or the these leaders are not really Muslims. I assume it is the latter, but based on who's authority are they declared to be apostates/munafiq?
It is all so confusing in Islam. You have all these rules, yet it is so unclear to me who has authority to judge and act on them as long as there is no caliphate, no Islamic courts or somekind of institution which seeks consensus rulings from scholars. In other words, to what extend are individual Muslims and private groups allowed to take the law in their own hands?
Who is authorized to rule that a Muslim is really an apostate or munafiq? Lets take someone like President Karzai or Prime-minister Alawi. I assume you believe it is okay to fight (and kill) them since they are aiding the kafirs? Yet, they claim they are Muslims, do you have the authority to judge otherwise? If you don't, who has? Karzai and Alawi are obvious cases, but what about King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia? President Mubarak? Boutaflika in Algeria? There are muhajedeen in all these countries fighting wars against these leaders and governments in name of Islam. If fighting against Muslims is kufr, either these Muhajedeen are kufr or the these leaders are not really Muslims. I assume it is the latter, but based on who's authority are they declared to be apostates/munafiq?
It is all so confusing in Islam. You have all these rules, yet it is so unclear to me who has authority to judge and act on them as long as there is no caliphate, no Islamic courts or somekind of institution which seeks consensus rulings from scholars. In other words, to what extend are individual Muslims and private groups allowed to take the law in their own hands?
actually there is nothing confusing at all. any muslim who sides and makes alliances with non muslims becomes an apostate, especially when they make an alliance with hostile non muslims. hence there is no confusion, and this is from the highest authority, Allah himself states this in the Quran, he who makes an alliance with the non muslims becomes one of them. and Allah also tells us he who makes an alliance with non muslims to fight Muslims is also an apostate. hence there is nothing confusing at all. and this also happens to be a consencus among the top islamic scholars.
FEATURE-After Gaza, Some Question Who Was Overthrowing Whom
By Adam Entous
17 Jun 2007
13:28:44
AlertNet
JERUSALEM, June 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. government began to lay the ground for President Mahmoud Abbas to dismiss the Hamas-led Palestinian government at least a year before the Islamist group's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last week.
Western, Israeli and Palestinian official sources said over the weekend that, far from being an ad hoc response to Hamas's offensive, Abbas's declaration of a state of emergency and his replacement of a Hamas prime minister with Western favourite Salam Fayyad marked the culmination of months of backroom deliberations, planning and U.S. prodding.
In the end, pressure on Abbas to act against Hamas was as great -- if not greater -- from within his own Fatah faction as from Washington, which is seeking to play down its own role.
Only the triggering event, resulting in total Hamas control of the Gaza Strip, can be said to have come as a nasty surprise to the Americans.
It left in tatters plans by U.S. and Arab allies to build up Abbas's own forces in Gaza against Hamas.
Many Western officials and analysts see the offensive as a pre-emptive strike by Hamas before Washington could build up Fatah.
Hamas says it made its move against a U.S.-backed "coup".
"(Hamas leaders) knew what was going on," one senior Western diplomat said.
"They knew Abbas was going to try to establish his authority. They read it in the paper like everyone else."
Exactly who was overthrowing whom is a fair question, said International Crisis Group analyst Mouin Rabbani.
"Hamas would argue they were merely defending their election victory whereas Abbas would claim he's defending the legitimacy of Palestinian institutions," he said.
"You had powerful elements within Hamas who thought time was against them."
Edward Abington, Abbas's long-time adviser and Washington lobbyist, said the Bush administration made its intentions known to the president soon after Hamas was elected in early 2006.
Abbas was told "Hamas is an illegitimate organisation and that they are doing everything they can to force it out of power".
Abington recounted a meeting as long ago as July last year at which:
"(Abbas) said to me that the Americans were urging him to kick out the government, to form an emergency government".
"He refused to do it because it would lead to civil war.
"(Abbas) did not want to get into a confrontation," said Abington.
But in the end, he said, "it was forced on him."
Western officials said Abbas was able to move swiftly this week to form a new government because much of the advance work had already been done.
In one closed-door briefing with U.S. lawmakers earlier this year, a senior U.S. official said Abbas could rule by decree for 6-12 months before elections are held.
On Sunday, faced with a constitutional article demanding any new government be approved by parliament, where Hamas has a majority, Abbas simply issued a decree scrapping that provision.
...Some Western and Palestinian officials argue Washington fanned the flames as soon as Hamas and Fatah formed a short-lived "unity" government in March.
U.S. officials pushed Abbas into giving Hamas's nemesis, Mohammad Dahlan, control over security and then pushed him to deploy Fatah forces in Gaza.
Abington, a former U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem, said: "For us to be seen so clearly backing one armed Palestinian military against another is a very dangerous proposition, and in the case of Gaza, has failed totally."
nope, that belongs (and should be) to the Jews. i wouldn't oppose to it being controlled bythe UN.. but not to palestine.
the Jews should also get more power in hebron.. i mean come on man, if you think about it.. if the Christians went and took over mecca, you would be offended. why? because mecca is the muslim place. it's the most holy city to islam. well, for Judaism it is Jerusalem and Hebron. i know these places are sacred to muslims too, and that's fine.. but ultimetely, they belong to the Jews. if not, it should too be a UN buffer zone type thing where the JEws and muslims can live together, and there is no muslim interest military or Jewish interest military.
that belongs (and should be) to Arabs.
this Land consider as a HOLY LAND to the moslems, Christians and jews .. So, simply you can't said that: Jerusalem belongs to One of them.
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