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Thursday, March 23, 2006

Islamic Revolution in Israel’s Backyard
Already surrounded by hostile Islamic nations, Israelis woke up one morning to find that Palestinians democratically legitimized a terrorist organization bent on the destruction of the Jewish state when Hamas swept to an overwhelming victory in Palestinian parliamentary elections.

Hamas won 74 seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council and has six more in its coalition, a majority that strikes fear into the hearts of Israelis who have been victims of Hamas terrorism over the last decade.

Palestinian Christians are concerned as well. “The green horse is riding from the Book of Revelation and next will come the angel of death,” a Palestinian believer who asked not to be named told israel today, referring to the color green which symbolizes Hamas.

The most ominous change expected in Palestinian society with Hamas at the helm is a heightened adherence to Islam. Mohammed Abu Tir (photo), the Hamas minister of religion, told us that he wants to separate boys and girls in Palestinian schools, make headscarves mandatory for all women and establish Islamic Law in the territories.

Although laws could be vetoed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas of the defeated Fatah party, Hamas will likely be able to muster the two-thirds needed to overturn a veto. Fatah holds 45 seats and small parties comprise the other 13 in the 132-member parliament.

Israel’s security establishment was caught totally off guard by the Hamas victory, reminiscent of the days leading to the Yom Kippur War in 1973 when the enemy build-up was ignored by military intelligence.

Fatah Falls From Grace

The Hamas victory was widely seen as a protest against Fatah, rather than a vote for the radical Islamic ideology of Hamas. The Palestinian public was fed up with rampant corruption in Fatah, which ruled the Palestinian Authority (PA) since its establishment in 1993 and misused billions of dollars in foreign aid.

“People voted for Hamas because they are sick of the one who works at the PA—He has a jeep, his wife has a jeep, and they have another jeep with a driver who takes the kids to school,” said a Palestinian. “These are the people who get through the checkpoints, while we all wait.”

By contrast, Hamas established a reputation for having “clean hands,” pouring money into welfare projects, charities and schools. The group also won popularity through deadly suicide bombings against Israel which were seen as acts of heroism.

(More in israel today from March 2006)

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