Support for Hamas grows among Palestinians in West Bank

[CharlieH]

 

Since the war in Gaza began, Israel's military operations in the occupied West Bank have become more frequent, and more forceful.

 

The northern city of Jenin - the epicentre of these raids before the Hamas attacks - is now a weekly battleground.

The Palestinian teenagers I met who were running from the army there on Tuesday had the sceptical dismissive attitudes of much older men - mocking the Palestinian president and his appeals to the world for protection against Israel's occupation.

Behind them, Israel's armoured bulldozers and military jeeps moved around the entrance to Jenin refugee camp, explosions and gunfire from across the city echoing along the deserted, shuttered streets.

The walls of this city are covered with the pictures of young men killed by Israeli forces - some of them members of armed groups like Hamas, proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK and others. The posters and the faces are refreshed, year after year.

Six men were killed in the operation here on Tuesday; four of them in a drone strike, witnesses said.

 

Israel says its operations in the West Bank are targeting members of armed groups, often those with Israeli blood on their hands.

But the director of Jenin's hospital, Wissam Bakr, said a chronically ill 13-year-old child also died after being blocked from reaching medical care.

"The persistence of the incursions into Jenin, and the killing of young people - this will make the people more and more angry, because every day we lose one of our friends," he said.

"This will not bring peace for Israel - this will bring more and more resistance."

On 7 October, Hamas gunmen from Gaza attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 others hostage. More than 18,400 people are said to have been killed in Gaza during the war that followed.

Here in the West Bank, 271 Palestinians, including 69 children, have been killed since the attacks - more than half the total number for the year. Almost all of them have been killed by Israeli forces, according to the United Nations.

 

Since the Hamas attacks, support for armed resistance has risen in many parts of the West Bank - in places like Nablus and Jenin.

 

FULL STORY

 

 

[Trippy]

It's such a shame that a group of people could have such hatred in their hearts, passed down through generations. 

[Rimmer]

off topic post about Northern Ireland have been removed also replies

Please see our Community Standards

[Morch]

 

 

As far as I recall, increase in West Bank support for Hamas during fighting was always a thing. I don't know that it persists that long afterwards, though. Whether this time is different, time will tell. The missing bit is to contrast this trend with positions and views of Gazans. It's all very well to support Hamas when one doesn't live daily under it's rule, and while not paying the price for Hamas actions.

Regarding the 'unification' nonsense - that's what it is. After 7/10 it is unlikely Israel will be expected to accept a Palestinian government incorporating Hamas. Considering neither the West Bank nor the Gaza Strip could be effectively ruled without Israel's cooperation, that's going nowhere - at least in the form currently suggested. And besides, since they go on and on about it for well over a decade without getting anywhere, hard to see what changed. Unless Abbas croaks or steps down, all them politicians will talk the talk but hedge and prepare for that 'day after'. Most senior Fatah leaders would be weary of trusting Hamas to share. Such a move will almost certainly effect finances as well - Israel would have a stronger case withholding tax monies, international donations would shrink, and international financial transactions could be challenged and disrupted on any number of counts. It's not like all of this didn't happen before - so I'm pretty confident most of what we're seeing now is just political posturing.

In the same way, don't know that Hamas political wing will benefit either, as suggested on the article. Maybe in terms of power struggles within Hamas, or vs. the Fatah. But internationally, and given statements made during the fighting? Maybe among countries and governments supporting them already, much less so elsewhere, never mind the West. I think it may even come to Qatar politely asking them to find a new place to stay, at some point.

 

While I do get the emotional component of the sentiment described in the OP, there is little future in it. The way Palestinian 'resistance' is carried out is counterproductive, often playing to Israel's hands. Prospects of the Palestinian taking more effective modes of resistance are low - or at least nothing to indicate such a shift. In that regard, they keep making the same choices and mistakes they have for decades.

[Thingamabob]

The Palestinians (originally known as Philistines) have always supported Hama's.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

The Palestinians (originally known as Philistines) have always supported Hama's.

They are not connected to the Philistines.

[Morch]

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

They are not connected to the Philistines.

 

Indeed.

Moreover, as in many other places in the ME, Arabs are ambiguous toward their pre-Islam history and connections.

And, of course, Hamas was not always around.

[placnx]

11 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

Indeed.

Moreover, as in many other places in the ME, Arabs are ambiguous toward their pre-Islam history and connections.

And, of course, Hamas was not always around.

The Lebanese reference Phoenicians, and the Egyptians are very conscious of their ancient culture going back to the pre-dynastic period 8000 years ago. Iran similarly celebrates its ancient roots. As for Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. you may be right, even though Iraq is the so-called Cradle of Civilization.

[Nick Carter icp]

38 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

The Palestinians (originally known as Philistines) have always supported Hama's.

 

   Well, the Palestinians aren't connected to the Philistines (although they do both begin with a P) , some Palestinians  support Hamas's rivals and also you don't need to put an apostrophe in Hamas .

[Morch]

Just now, placnx said:

The Lebanese reference Phoenicians, and the Egyptians are very conscious of their ancient culture going back to the pre-dynastic period 8000 years ago. Iran similarly celebrates its ancient roots. As for Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. you may be right, even though Iraq is the so-called Cradle of Civilization.

 

There is a gap between referencing/celebrating these things, and acknowledging the non-Islamic elements. In Egypt, my sense was that it's more about the tourist trade value. Lebanese making a whole lot of the Phoenicians I'm not familiar with, and given that Lebanon is a rather multifaceted nation, this comment could mean anything.

[parallelman]

42 minutes ago, placnx said:

The Lebanese reference Phoenicians, and the Egyptians are very conscious of their ancient culture going back to the pre-dynastic period 8000 years ago. Iran similarly celebrates its ancient roots. As for Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. you may be right, even though Iraq is the so-called Cradle of Civilization.

Yes. Sumeria and areas nearby were always fighting each other as well domestically. Thy may have been the first to put their language in writing (although the Shang rulers were close behind with that), with organised cities but the fight for power and land persisted.

[CanadaSam]

Divert their attention, give them their own country, and let them govern it.  That will take up much of their energy and time to focus more on internal difficulties rather than trying to exterminate a neighboring country.

[Yellowtail]

4 hours ago, placnx said:

The Lebanese reference Phoenicians, and the Egyptians are very conscious of their ancient culture going back to the pre-dynastic period 8000 years ago. Iran similarly celebrates its ancient roots. As for Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. you may be right, even though Iraq is the so-called Cradle of Civilization.

That was back before they expelled on or exterminated all the Jews, yes? 

[cncltd1973]

7 hours ago, placnx said:

The Lebanese reference Phoenicians, and the Egyptians are very conscious of their ancient culture going back to the pre-dynastic period 8000 years ago. Iran similarly celebrates its ancient roots. As for Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. you may be right, even though Iraq is the so-called Cradle of Civilization.

I'm pretty sure contemporary Egyptians are Berbers, and have little to no claim of the ancient architecture in Egypt. they stripped the ancient stones to create Cairo and are considered occupiers after the Ptolemy era, if memory is correct. Berbers supplied camel transport and were benefactors of the land after the collapse of the Roman empire. a sweet deal for them, right place at the right time, find and pilfer

[thaibeachlovers]

On 12/14/2023 at 7:49 PM, Thingamabob said:

The Palestinians (originally known as Philistines) have always supported Hama's.

There was a Hamas 3,000 years ago? Do tell.

 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Philistine-people

Philistine, one of a people of Aegean origin who settled on the southern coast of Palestine in the 12th century bce, about the time of the arrival of the Israelites.

[billd766]

On 12/14/2023 at 9:10 AM, Trippy said:

It's such a shame that a group of people could have such hatred in their hearts, passed down through generations. 

People on both sides.