The New York Times (Sunday): Hamas Pushing for Lead Role in a New Gaza

[Jack Rabbit]

From The New York Times
Dated Sunday August 21

Hamas Pushing for Lead Role in a New Gaza
By James Benet

Gaza -- Aides to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, invited reporters on Friday to witness him at prayer near his office, with an imam who celebrated Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and envisioned universities, schools, parks and mosques being built on settlement land.

Abbas Talks of Future of Enclaves (August 21, 2005) At the same time, a few miles away in the Jabaliya refugee camp, hundreds of men and boys, unable to crowd into the Caliph Mosque, sat on sidewalks and in alleyways. In a humid stench of sewage and fried fish, with expressions alert and thoughtful, they listened as their imam voiced a quite different message.

He called the Israeli withdrawal an "achievement of resistance," praised prominent "martyrs of Hamas" and declared, "God knows that when we offer up our children, it is much better than choosing the road of humiliation and negotiation."

Israel's evacuation of its Gaza settlements has touched off a fierce political campaign here, and its outcome may determine whether Mr. Abbas can succeed in governing and eventually making peace. Hamas and Mr. Abbas's more secular faction, Fatah, are jostling for position in municipal elections in coming months and in legislative elections planned for Jan. 25, the first that Hamas has ever said it would enter.

Read more.

[purple in the south]

1. im so excited

i am so excited ... i just got on guy james show... he said where are are democratic leaders ? why dont they stand up"? i said what about that beautiful black woman from ohio? Barbara boxer, john conyers, cynthia n\mckinney> talked about vote hi jacking ,, days ,,weeks to count in most countyries but we have to know by 10 oclock did anyone hear me?

[purple in the south]

2. please encourage me

i am trying to speak out i lived in nebraska when hagel stole that vote now in tn since 3 elections stolen! i went to columbus in jan to protest this voteand nashville for the protest

[Violet_Crumble]

3. The future's not looking too bright for secular Palestinians...

"Hamas has "a mission," said Ziad Abu Amr, a political scientist and independent legislator who serves as a liaison between Mr. Abbas and Hamas. "They want to Islamicize the state and society. Yes, in the final analysis, they want control."

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Yes, it looks pretty grim

Unfortunately, what do the Palestinians have for following the secularists? Arafat and his cronies ran the PA like it was their personal fiefdom. Charges of corruption dog Abbas, although we don't read much about it in the western press.

Hamas is scary, but it offers clean government. That's at least one thing that can be said for it. I wish it weren't the only thing.

[bemildred]

5. Yes. It's hard to be optimistic about Mr. Abbas' prospects at this point.

And thinking about the future of Gaza, I draw a blank. Mainly because, I think, I have no idea what Hamas will do when it seizes power, or how the business between PNA and Hamas will sort itself out.

But one can only wish the Gazans well.

[Violet_Crumble]

6. I think it's sit and wait time...

I've also got no idea as to what will happen. I think the likelihood of a future where Hamas doesn't control Gaza is looking pretty slim, and that in itself will give Israel more excuses to hold onto the West Bank...

Violet...

[bemildred]

7. As you pointed out WRT Ms Sheehan, reasons can be found when

the need arises. Sharon may well have plans of his own for the West Bank - Dov Weisglass' published comments are interesting - but everybody has plans, it's how you play your cards that matters. I doubt myself that Sharon planned to be doing this when he took office, this is an "adjustment" to the disastrous effects of his policies then, the "demographic problem" didn't just happen fortuitously, and while it remains the case he won't get far with plans for the West Bank either.

[bemildred]

8. It is probably worth keeping in mind that

the very settlers being dragged from their homes today were likely to be big supporters of Sharon five years ago. So much for plans. It's kind of ironic that Sharon's efforts are leading to some re-population of Russia and Germany with Jews, if one is to believe the news stories.