<html>
<body>
<font size=1>
<a href="http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20editorials/2006%20Opinion%20Editorials/July/28%20o/Hamas%20From%20an%20Islamic%20Resistance%20Movement%20to%20Palestinian%20government%20By%20Astris%20Essed.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20editorials/2006%20Opinion%20Editorials/July/28%20o/Hamas%20From%20an%20Islamic%20Resistance%20Movement%20to%20Palestinian%20government%20By%20Astris%20Essed.htm<br>
<br>
</a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=5>Hamas: From an Islamic
Resistance Movement to Palestinian government <br><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>By Astris Essed<br><br>
Al-Jazeerah, July 28, 2006<br><br>
<b>Introductiorn:<br>
</b> <br>
</font> <br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>"Power in defense of freedom
is greater than power on behalf of tyranny and oppression."<br>
Quote Malcolm X<br>
<br>
</i>At the Palestinian elections of 25-1-2006, Hamas has obtained a
startling victory.<br>
From the 132 seats of parliament, Hamas, which for the first time was
participating in the parliamentary elections, obtained 74 seats, in
contrary with the then reigning Fatah-party, which obtained merely 43
seats.<br>
The further 13 seats were obtained by different smaller political
parties, as well as independent candidates.<br>
<br>
This great victory for Hamas was no surprise because of the
fundamental Hamas political and military resistance against the Israeli
occupation and the Hamas social activities on behalf of the impoverished
population of especially Gaza<br>
<br>
In spite of this, leading American-European politicians, as well as
the newsmedia, didn't only show great astonishment, they also
demanded, that Hamas, as the price for financial support, would stop
armed resistance (or what the Israelis and their supporters call
"renouncing violence") against the Israeli occupation and also
acknowledge the State of Israel. <br>
<br>
When the newly-formed Hamas-government refused to agree with those
American-European demands, the American and Canadian governments, as well
the EU decided to freeze the financial support to the Palestinian
Authority, a measure, which went at the cost of the already seriously
impoverished Palestinian civilian population, since at least 45 % of the
population [there are also reports about a higher poverty-rate varying
untill 70 %] is living below the poverty-rate and 15% is even living in
extreme poverty.<br>
<br>
Especially the educational and medical conditions are seriously
deteriorated since this boycott.<br>
Moreover, 942.000 Palestinians or 25% of the total Palestinian population
is living from salaries, which are being paid by the Palestinian
Authority However, due to those American-European measures, those
payments can't be done anymore, with all humanitarian consequences
for the families involved.<br>
<br>
Not only those boycott-measures are morally highly reprehensible in
regard with the humanitarian consequences for the Palestinian
civilian-population, they also can lead to amounting tensions within the
Palestinian society.<br>
<br>
With regard to those measures, many international NGO's, as well as a
number of UN-organisations, have uttered sharp criticism to those
American-European boycott-measures.<br>
<br>
Another consequence of the boycott-measure can be, that the
Hamas-government, as a result of the freezing of EU financial support,
shall receive increased financial aid from the governments of the Arab
and Islamic countries, with as a consequence the lessening of EU
political influence regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</font>
<br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Recently a number of Arab
governments, and Iran, has either given, or promised, financial aid to
the Hamas-government.<br>
<br>
Probably aware of the above-mentioned political consequences of her
possible diminishing influence regarding the Middle-East, the EU, as has
been represented by EU Commissioner Louis Michel, former Belgian minister
of foreign affairs has set aside a sum of 34 million euro in the form of
emergency-aid to the Palestinian territories, which are going to be
delivered outside the official Hamas-channels<br>
<br>
Also the World Bank, which is fearing further humanitarian crisis in the
Palestinian territories, is exploring, in direct cooperation with the
Quartet [the EU, USA, the Russian Federation and the UN], to resume the
financial aid to the Palestinian population, outside Hamas-channels, and
probably by way of the NGO's, which are active in the area.<br>
<br>
<b>Double standards:<br>
<br>
</b>The main motives of the American-European boycott of the financial
aid to the Palestinian Authority lies in the refusal of Hamas, to
renounce the violence against Israel and to acknowledge the State of
Israel.<br>
A further argument regarding the boycott is the fact, that Hamas has had
a main part in the incitement to suicide attacks against Israeli
civilians and is still continuing this strategy.<br>
<br>
Although it is evident, that suicide-attacks as military attacks on
civilians and civilian objects are not only inhumane, but also illegal
according International Law, it is seldom mentioned by the EU and the
American-European government, that these attacks are a matter of cause
and effects, since they are the result of the now 39 years of Israeli
occupation, despite of the in 1967 unanimously accepted UN-Security
Resolution 242, by which Israel was summoned, to withdraw its troops from
the in the june-war conquered territories, among else the Palestinian
territories.<br>
<br>
Also the boycotting countries are ignoring the fact, that the attacks of
Hamas are not only consisting of suicide-attacks, but also of the
internationally legitimated military attacks on the Israeli
occupation-army.<br>
<br>
Repeatedly Hamas has declared, as well before as after her
election-victory, her willingness to stop armed resistance when Israel is
prepared to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories [its
international obligation under UN Security Council Resolution nr 242], to
dismantle its settlements in the Palestinian territories, which are
illegal according International Law [see also 2 UN-Security Council
Resolutions dd 1979], to dismantle the Wall, which is being built accross
occupied Palestinian territories [see verdict ICJ dd 9-7-2004], and is
acknowledging the Palestinian right of return, which is confirmed by the
General Assembly Resolution 194, dd 1948<br>
<br>
All these Hamas demands are being based on International Law, which has
been confirmed by the above-named resolutions and therefore abslutely
legitimate. <br>
<br>
Striking however is, that the American-European boycotting governments
are demanding Hamas-disarmament on the one hand, while at the other hand,
no clear demands are being made on Israel, regarding the implementation
of the above mentioned UN-resolutions, which were voted for by the same
American-European States.<br>
<br>
Also this double standard-policy is being applied with regard to Israeli
and Palestinian violence<br>
<br>
Although the condemnation of suicide-attacks against Israeli civilians is
correct and justified, there is however a strong undervaluation of the
serious character of the Israeli human rights violations and war-crimes,
which have been committed by especially the Israeli army from the
beginning of the occupation in 1967.<br>
<br>
It is also significant to mention, that from EU-side there is no real
political pressure on Israel to end the occupation and withdraw from the
Palestinian territories.</font> <br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Seeing from that perspective, the
American-European criticism of Hamas is lacking moral credibility and is
testifying very selective indignation<br><br>
<br>
<b>A The ideology of Hamas and the American-European political conception
with regard to the alleged claim about ''destruction'' of the State of
Israel<br>
</b> <br>
It is a common standard, that in nearly all American-European newsmedia,
as well in statements of politicians, the Hamas-ideology is being
associated with the ''destruction'' of the State of Israel<br>
<br>
Before trying to unmask this stubborn American-European assumption I want
to throw some light on the political history of the Hamas Movement.<br>
<br>
<b>History of the Hamas Movement:<br>
<br>
</b>The word, Hamas, is an abbreviation of Harakat al-muqâwama
al-islâmiyya, which means Islamic Resistance Movement. It had been
founded in 1987 as a religious-nationalistic resistance organisation with
Shaikh Yassin as the spiritual leader.</font> <br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>He was killed in an Israeli
airstrike in march 2004, which, being an extra-judicial execution,
not only killed him but also 7 other Palestinian civilians.<br>
<br>
However, since the beginning of the eighties, there was a predecessor of
Hamas, also under the leadership of Shaikh Yassin, which was mainly an
Islamic Revival Movement, which was mostly directed on social and
charitable goals.<br><br>
Although of course opposed to the occupation, it didn't stimulate the
resistance, since it considered the Israeli occupation as a punishment of
God because of Palestinian lack of religious devotion.<br>
<br>
In other words, this revival movement was meant to make the Palestinian
population return to the basics of Islam, as explained by the movement,
in their daily life.<br>
<br>
Even when the official Hamas organisation had been founded in 1987,
initially there was no real resistance against the occupation, despite
the anti-Zionistic Charter of 1988.<br>
<br>
Only later the Hamas organisation became part of the resistance,
resulting in military attacks against the Israeli occupation army and
from 1994 in suicide-attacks against Israeli civilians.<br>
The immediate cause was the massacre by the Jewish-Israeli extreme
rightwing Dr Baruch Goldstein on 29 Palestinians, who were praying in the
Ibrahimi Mosque (also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs) in
Hebron.<br>
<br>
<b>Hamas Charter:<br>
</b> <br>
Analysis of the Hamas Charter, that is consisting of 36 articles, reveals
that the basis is being formed upon as well the resistance against the
Israeli occupation, as well the assumption of the dismantlement of
the Zionist State of Israel, to be <b>replaced</b> by an islamic
Palestinian State with equal rights for all the inhabitants and religious
freedom regarding Jews and Christians.<br>
<br>
Seeing from this perspective, the Charter has an anti-colonialist
conception because of the fundamental criticism on the colonialist
character of the foundation of the State of Israel in historical
Palestine, first being a colony of the Turkish-Ottoman Empire and after
World War I , a British Mandate-area.<br>
<br>
According to the wish of the European Zionist movement, the
foundation of a ''Jewish'' State in historical Palestine took place,
based on General Assembly Resolution number 181, in 1947, which contained
the division of Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab states, without any
consultation of the autochtone Palestinian population.<br>
<br>
It is of importance to mention here, that the objections of the
Palestinians were not against the settlement of Jewish people in
Palestine, but against the division of their country into two different
States.<br>
<br>
Yet apart from that, Hamas is justly protesting against the present
Zionist State, which is for an important part based on discriminatory
laws and measures, which are at the cost of the so-called ''Israeli
Arabs'', especially regarding educational and medical provisions.<br>
<br>
One of the most striking example of those discriminatory laws of State is
the fact, that any Jewish man or woman in the world has the right
to settle in Israel, while the right of return of the Palestinian
descendants of the 750,000 refugees who were evicted from their homeland
by Zionist militias, which was confirmed in General Assembly Resolution
194, in 1948, is not being acknowledged by Israel.<br>
<br>
Notwithstanding anyone's opinion about this anti-Zionist point of view
and the Hamas-assumption about the undesirable foundation of an Islamic
State, it is evident, that the expulsion or even killing of
Israeli-Jewish inhabitants of Israel, which is often suggested by the
American-European politicians and newsmedia, is out of order.<br>
<br>
Although in the Charter is being referred to ''the Jews'', a thorough
reading makes clear, that it is a reference to the Israeli Zionist regime
and the Israeli occupation, not to the Jews as an ethnic-religious
group.<br>
Also in Hamas bulletins, the word ''Jews'' is not used. Rather, the words
''Zionistic enemy'' or the ''Zionist entity'' are usually used.<br><br>
<br>
<b>B Suicide-attacks:<br>
<br>
</b>Mentioning Hamas, mostly the emphasis is being laid on the
suicide-attacks against Israeli civilians, for which it bears
responsibility. It is evident, that those actions are not only inhumane,
but also they are serious violations of the International Humanitarian
Law, that states, that in each military conflict a clear distinction is
to be made between combatants [soldiers or fighters] and non-combatants
[civilians].<br>
<br>
From that point of view it is completely right, that those attacks are
being condemned severely by the International Community.<br>
<br>
Although it is important to realize, that the cause of those
suicide attacks is rooted in the Israeli occupation since 1967,
which resulted in oppression, humiliations and mostly unpunished war
crimes, it is no justification whatsoever for any resistance group for
also to commit war crimes.<br>
<br>
According to International Law it is illegal, to respond one violation of
human rights by committing a reciprocal violation, even with regard to an
occupation<br>
<br>
On the other hand, any military action against an occupation-army is
internationally legitimated as a right of an occupied population to
resist against the occupying power.</font> <br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>However, there is too little
international press attention for the fact, that an important part of
Hamas strategy is also the use of this legitimated resistance
method.<br>
<br>
It is however striking, that as Israel as well as the USA , qualify
those military attacks against the occupation-army, as ''terrorist'',
ignoring the internationally legitimated character.</font> <br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Recently yet Mr Solana,
Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union for foreign
affairs, has confirmed the right on resistance against a foreign
occupation.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>C The Israeli liquidation-policy:<br>
</b> <br>
Also internationally reprehensible are the Israeli liquidations of the
leaders and activists of the Palestinian resistance-movements, like
Hamas.<br><br>
Those liquidations started in the beginning of the seventies of the
former century and were being practiced by successive Israeli
governments<br>
<br>
They took the form of frontal shootings of cars, the exploding of
mobile telephones and nowadays mostly, the airstrikes, whether on
civilian targets like refugee-camps, flat-apartments, houses, or
marketplaces. <br>
<br>
As commonly known, those attacks are severe violations of International
Law, which states, that every human being has a right on a fair and
independent trial.</font> <br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Moreover, because of those still
daily-committed liquidations, in many cases also civilians, who just pass
by, as well co-habitants of houses, apartments and refugee-camps are
being killed.<br>
In those cases war-crimes are being committed, since the presence of
civilians at civilian goals [streets, market-places, cars, apartments and
refugee-camps] is highly expectable<br>
<br>
However, despite the high humanitarian risk for the civilian-population,
recently the Israeli prime-minister Olmert has made clear, that those
airstrikes are to continue, despite of the loss of Palestinian civilian
lives<br>
<br>
It is a striking example of Western selective indignation, that although
the Hamas-led suicide attacks are leading to the freezing of the
financial help to the Palestinian Authority, but with regard to those
Israeli extrajudicial executions, as well the indiscriminate military
attacks on Gaza, no sanction measures are being taken against
Israel.<br>
<br>
Regarding the fact that Israel being the occupying country bears the
lion's share in the escalation of the present conflict, especially the
EU, which claims to defend the Palestinian humanitarian interests, is
held accountable for this hypocritical point of view.<br><br>
<b>D Social-charitable Hamas activities<br>
</b> <br>
A hitherto undervalued aspect regarding the activities of Hamas are the
social-charitable activities of Hamas on behalf of especially the serious
impoverished population in Gaza.<br>
Ironically by doing this, Hamas is fulfilling the international-judicial
obligation of the Israeli occupation-power to take care for the occupied
Palestinian population.<br>
According one of the most important articles of the 4th Geneva
Convention, an occupying power is head-responsible for the safety, the
wellbeing and the welfare of the occupied population, the so-called
''protected persons''<br>
International reports about the humanitarian situation in Gaza have
learnt, that the Israeli occupation-authorities have failed to fulfill
this obligation regarding the occupied Palestinian population.<br>
<br>
The impoverished situation of the Palestinian population is still being
intensified by the Israeli military attacks in Gaza and the West-Bank,
which have resulted mostly in serious human rights violations and
war-crimes.<br>
<br>
So especially in Gaza [but also in the West-Bank] mass-house demolitions
took place, which is forbidden according article 53, 4th Geneva
Convention.<br>
Also especially in Gaza several times the border with Israel had been
closed.<br>
<br>
Due to this measure the Palestinians, who work in Israel, are thus
loosing their daily necessities of life.<br>
<br>
Recently Israel has, as a retaliatory measure for the abduction or
imprisonment [the news sources are giving different messages regarding to
that], not only closed the border with Gaza, but also bombed parts of the
infrastructure [bridges and main roads], which caused considerable damage
and has cut of the water anf electricity-supplies of the population.<br>
<br>
A thus token retaliatory measure is as a collective punishment a serious
breach of International Law [article 33, 4th Geneva Convention is
forbidding any collective punishment.<br>
<br>
<br>
When such Israeli measures were taken in the past, Hamas has supplied the
most impoverished part of the population.</font> <br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Mostly the financial donors of Hamas
were donors, stemming from the Arab world.<br>
However, in contrary with the Palestinian Authority, Hamas wasn't corrupt
at all.<br>
<br>
Of course, this led to a great popularity of Hamas and the striking
outcome of the elections.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Epilogue</b>:<br>
<br>
In this article I've tried to make clear, that not only the
American-European freezing of the financial help to the Palestinian
Authority is immoral, because it is at the cost of the impoverished
Palestinian population, also it is a double standard to condemn the Hamas
violence and to consider the Israeli violence, due to the Israeli
occupation, as a minor issue.<br>
<br>
No resistance-organisation whatsoever can be expected to lay down the
arms, while the occupation and oppression is being continued with the
most extreme measures.<br>
<br>
However it is evident, that also a resistance-movement must be based on
the obligations according to International Law.<br>
<br>
However, without closing the eyes for the very reprehensible
suicide-attacks against Israeli civilians, in which Hamas played an
important part, the Hamas fundamental stand against the Israeli
occupation and settlements policy has to be respected, as well its
fundamental resistance against the Zionist State of Israel.<br>
<br>
Therefore, I sincerely hope, that Hamas will not yield to the growing
American-European political pressure to make the Israeli occupation and
settlements policy points of negotiation.<br>
<br>
However, when Hamas really wants to be respected by friend and foe, it
has to refrain from the attacks on Israeli civilians or
civilian-goals.<br>
<br>
Every human being, whether Palestinian or Israeli, has the right on the
same humane treatment and to my opinion, being occupied is no
justification to violate those inalienable rights.<br><br>
<br>
Astrid Essed<br>
Amsterdam<br>
The Netherlands<br>
<br>
Sources:<br>
<br>
Universal Declaration of Human Rights:<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/eng.htm">
http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/eng.htm</a><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
The 3th Geneva Convention, relative to the treatment of prisoners of
war:<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/7c4d08d9b287a42141256739003e636b/6fef854a3517b75ac125641e004a9e68">
http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/7c4d08d9b287a42141256739003e636b/6fef854a3517b75ac125641e004a9e68</a>
<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
The 4th Geneva Convention, relative to the protections of civilian
persons in time of war:<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/7c4d08d9b287a42141256739003e636b/6756482d86146898c125641e004aa3c5">
http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/7c4d08d9b287a42141256739003e636b/6756482d86146898c125641e004aa3c5</a>
<br><br>
<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#516686">
<a href="http://www.palestinecenter.org/cpap/documents/charter.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.palestinecenter.org/cpap/documents/charter.html<br><br>
</a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas">
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas<br><br>
</a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#516686">
<a href="http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4837.shtml" eudora="autourl">
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4837.shtml<br><br>
</a>
<a href="http://www.reliefweb.int/library/documents/2006/ocha-opt-11apr.pdf">
http://www.reliefweb.int/library/documents/2006/ocha-opt-11apr.pdf</a><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
Israeli human rights violations:<br>
<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/29/isrlpa13662.htm">
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/29/isrlpa13662.htm</a><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/20/israb13595.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/20/israb13595.htm<br>
</a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/reports/2005/iopt0605/">
http://hrw.org/reports/2005/iopt0605/</a><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/12/22/isrlpa12345.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/12/22/isrlpa12345.htm<br>
</a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
<br>
Hamas human rights violations:<br>
<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/06/09/isrlpa11106.htm">
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/06/09/isrlpa11106.htm</a><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/30/isrlpa12549.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/30/isrlpa12549.htm<br>
</a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/29/isrlpa12543.htm">
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/29/isrlpa12543.htm</a><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
<br>
Israeli discriminatory measures against Palestinian-Arab children in the
Israeli education-system:<br>
<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/reports/2001/israel2/JILPfinal.pdf">
http://hrw.org/reports/2001/israel2/JILPfinal.pdf</a><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
Israeli discriminatory laws:<br>
<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/05/23/isrlpa11000.htm">
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/05/23/isrlpa11000.htm</a><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> <br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3 color="#003399">
<a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/05/23/isrlpa11003.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/05/23/isrlpa11003.htm<br><br>
</a></font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font size=3 color="#FF0000">The Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br>
(415) 863-9977<br>
</font><font size=3>
<a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.freedomarchives.org</a></font></body>
</html>