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Duration of military operations in Gaza testify Hamas is not weak rival: Trend News commentator

Politics Materials 7 January 2009 20:46 (UTC +04:00)

Head of Middle East Desk of Trend , Rufiz Hafizoglu

The military operations of Israel in the Gaza Strip were planned not with the completion of the regime of temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, but after Hamas won the parliamentary elections in Palestine in 2006. Winning these elections, gaining 60% of votes, Hamas, which does not accept existence of Israel, obtained new status - status of political party. The European observers named these elections the most democratic in the Arab world.

Oppositional Hamas estimated the victory in the elections as the possibility to organize independent Palestinian government.


With Hamas's victory in the elections, preparation of the first steps toward the war against it started to be prepared, since Hamas transferred its fight to the new plane - political fight. The unexpected achievement of Hamas corresponded to the interests of neither Israel nor ruling party Fatah. Both of them - Fatah and Israeli government - stated that the victory of Hamas in the elections will destroy Annapolis peaceful negotiations.

The collisions between Hamas and Israel began to take not local, but political character. It was clear that in this political fight, the ratio of forces was not in favor of Hamas.

Because large states and also the United Nations, which support Israel in the international political circles and also its regional policy, considered Hamas as terrorist organization in spite of its victory in the elections.

After this, the international organizations began to pressure on the Palestinian administration so that it would boycott the government of Hamas. Israel and international organizations required the President of Palestinian Administration, Mahmud Abbas, not to go to dialogue with the MPs from Hamas.

Later, Fatah stole ministers of Hamas so that the internal situation in Palestine would take the shape of Civil War and Hamas would be removed from the government. Fatah considered that taking adequate steps, Hamas will make armed resistance. However, Hamas did not go on the provocative policy of Fatah and maintaining stability, attempted to prove to the international community what it is the supporter of peace in the region.

In 2007 in order to completely gain control on the governance, to govern underground groups and control all security services in the territory, committing military coup in Gaza, Hamas removed all subordinates forces of Fatah from there. Seeing that the situation goes out of control, Israeli government closed all checkpoints of Gaza and established blockade with Gaza to pressure on Hamas.

However, in its turn, Hamas launched home-made rockets "GASSAM" to the Jewish populated areas in order "to wake" Israeli community and to draw the attention of the world community to the events in Gaza. The super-state of the Middle East - Israel, which remained helpless before the rockets "GASSAM" of Hamas, signed temporary ceasefire agreement with Hamas in June 2008 with the mediation of Egypt.

Important conditions for ceasefire were: removal of blockade of Gaza, opening of all border checkpoints, giving permission for import of foodstuffs, medicine and fuel to the territory by the organizations of humanitarian aid. However, none of the items was implemented. This lead to more worsening of Hamas's position on Israel. And on Dec. 27 Israel started military operations in the Gaza Strip, which was unexpected for Hamas.

The goal of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip is to put an end to Hamas's terror. However, the launched military operations against Hamas did not yield serious success to the Israeli armed forces. In contrary, the deaths of local population as a result of military operations damaged Israel's international authority, as well as intensified anti-Semite mood in Arab and other Muslim states. Even Turkey, which is the closest and reliable ally of Israel in the Middle East, expressed its sharp protest against the military operations. The Jordan government said that it would reconsider its ties with Israel. Israeli media also is not indifferent to the issue.

Israel does not make any conclusion out of the Lebanon war in 2006, the Israeli Maaref newspaper released.

In actual, if before there were hopes that Israeli operations in Gaza against Hamas would be success soon, the developments go on in quite different direction.

Furthermore, Israeli military operations in Gaza were ambiguously accepted within the country. Forty-one year ago Israel needed six days to win the Arab army and occupy the Gaza Strip, West coast, Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights. Despite the present military possibilities, Israel needs much time so that to struggle against Hamas in Gaza. However, nobody knows how long the war will last. This proves that Hamas is not a weak enemy.

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