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"What's the difference?": The public in Gaza oscillates between Fatah and Hamas | Israel Hayom

2023-01-03T17:10:37.408Z


The terrorist organization is afraid of losing public support and is under pressure from the Islamic Jihad • A Palestinian official told "Israel Today": "If they think there is damage to the existing reality in Al-Aqsa, they will be motivated to act in some way" • The leadership in Gaza reads the Israeli map, but is also attentive to the public Theirs • A source in Gaza protests: "In Yosh there is a better life and less unemployment"


In spite of the economic relief and civil measures that Israel has taken in relation to the Gaza Strip in recent times, Hamas is subject to internal pressures and challenges that place it under a real dilemma as to how it should act following Minister Ben Gabir's ascension to the Temple Mount this morning (Tuesday).

Last Saturday, the organization received a wake-up call, some would say surprising.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the Gaza Strip, waving Fatah's yellow flags, in processions organized to mark the 58th anniversary of the movement led by Abu Mazen.

Hamas approved the holding of the festival in the Gaza Strip, but when it became clear the large number of participants, Hamas stepped down, and even almost regretted it.

"A huge festival in Gaza".

Fatah activists in Nablus (archive), photo: AFP

A strong position against Israel

This mass rally sent a signal to the Hamas leadership that the support of public opinion for the organization is not a given and automatic matter.

The public is swaying.

"After what happened on Saturday in Gaza, despite the great support that Hamas has, the organization realized that it has to work hard to maintain its power if it wants to prevent the people of Gaza from falling into the arms of Fatah," sources in Gaza said.

"After Ben Gvir ascended to al-Aqsa, residents here in Gaza asked themselves: What is the difference between Hamas and Fatah?

If Hamas issues messages similar to those of Fatah and does nothing in the face of this provocation, then what does it exist for and how is it better than Fatah? At least in Yosh there is a better life and less unemployment," the sources said. This joins the constant demand of Islamic Jihad from Hamas to take a stronger stance against Israel.

"provocation".

Residents of Gaza on Ben Gvir on the Temple Mount,

facing east 

The sources stated that following the visit of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gabir to Al-Aqsa, Jihad is putting tremendous pressure on Hamas not to keep quiet about the "Israeli provocation".

However, according to them, Jihad does not want to go to war alone against Israel.

"Yesterday Hamas and Jihad issued warnings and climbed a high ladder, this created expectations. Jihad does not prefer to fight alone against Israel because then the public will accuse it of dragging Gaza into war, especially after residents in Gaza failed to restore their homes from the last round" .

In addition to this, Hamas looks east towards Judea and Samaria, and is troubled by the dominance of Fatah and the Islamic Jihad. The military activity of the "battalions" and armed groups in the Jenin and Nablus area overshadows Hamas to a certain extent, and even in this arena he feels that he still needs to "prove In Gaza, they say that Hamas does not want an escalation with Israel as a first option, but if the organization thinks that there is damage to the existing reality in Al-Aqsa, it will be motivated to act in some way.

The bombing of Islamic Jihad buildings during the "Dawn" operation (archive), photo: AP

Don't lose track 

"It's not the matter of the aliyah itself to al-Aqsa as much as the fear of changing the status quo and the Jewishness of al-Aqsa," said sources in Gaza.

"This is something that Hamas is sensitive to. And if the organization feels that there is such a change, it will do something. This will also be an opportunity for Hamas to regain the public's and factions' trust in it. If a few rockets are launched and in response there are Israeli attacks and that's how it ends - that's one thing, but if it drags on Gaza is at war - that's already something else." 

"The economic consideration is not the main story."

Palestinian workers on their way to Israel's territory (archive), photo: Oren Cohen

"Let's say there will be a round and that Gaza will be destroyed, and that after it Ben Gabir will go up to al-Aqsa once again, then what has the organization achieved?" explained an official in Gaza.

"Hamas cannot tolerate any more beatings from its public, and it is also reading the Israeli map. There is no desire to lose the path that Gaza took with the expansion of permits for workers going to work in Israel. In the end, Hamas will make its own considerations. The concessions and the economic story are only one consideration and not the main consideration ".

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Source: israelhayom

All news articles on 2023-01-03

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