(Institute for National Security Studies-Tel Aviv University) Shlomo Brom - The party that bore the main brunt of concession, which made the agreement possible, was Hamas: the Egyptian proposal accepted by both parties was presented in October 2010, on the basis of Abbas' ideas. At the time, Hamas rejected it out of hand; it has now changed its position, apparently because it is not at all sure that the developments in the Arab world are to its benefit. The revolution that toppled the Egyptian regime and the protests in other countries have been led by liberal secular elements that do not embrace the ideology of political Islam. The Hamas government in Gaza, like other authoritarian Arab regimes, rules through force. At the same time, surveys indicate a decline in support for Hamas, especially in Gaza. Hamas fears that the uprisings in the Arab world will bring about a similar uprising against it.
2011-05-03 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive