(Taipei Times) Mkhaimar Abusada - Hamas has launched an intensive media campaign to appropriate the Israeli withdrawal as a victory of its "armed struggle." The campaign reflects an internal fight for control of Gaza and other PA-administered territories, and stresses Hamas' determination to continue the "armed struggle" in the West Bank. It is designed to reinforce one point: the Gaza withdrawal belongs to Hamas. Yet one cannot escape the fact that Hamas's military options have diminished greatly. Construction of the separation wall on the West Bank has made it almost impossible for Hamas fighters to reach Israel proper. Continued armed struggle by Hamas will not be easy. Hamas knows this, and is therefore seeking to exploit the Gaza disengagement by demanding its share in the post-disengagement order. The writer is professor of political science at Al-Azhar University-Gaza.
2005-09-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive