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Hamas Gains Clout

Back in the 1980's, when the PLO was the only serious spokesman for Palestinian oppression, the Israelis helped finance a new group called Hamas, hoping to create a rival that would dilute the power of the PLO. This little fact is mentioned occasionally on the mainstream media, but it is always tucked away where almost no one will read it or hear it.

As events have progressed through the 90's and to the present time, Israeli Prime Minister Rabin attempted to create a peace deal in September of 1993, but this ultimately unraveled when he was assassinated the next year. His successors wept and wrung their hands, but did not continue his legacy of peace.

Finally, in 2002 the Israelis invaded Palestine and effectively destroyed the authority of Arafat, his government, and most of his security apparatus. I recognized immediately that the result of this would be the empowerment of Hamas, because all power is relative. With the PLO destroyed, the people would naturally turn to Hamas.

Now, if I could see this immediately, being a non-expert, it is certain that the Israeli leaders knew it, and if they knew it, then their policy was deliberately calculated to inflame and radicalize the Palestinians into fighting back even more. This, no doubt, was goal of Israeli leadership, because it would provide them with the excuse to be more oppressive than ever and to drag their feet on any two-state solution.

It was only a matter of time before Hamas would gain political power, because this was the natural result of the weakening of the PLO. This, in turn, would give the Israelis an excuse to stop all peace talks and go on a renewed offensive.

But something happened recently that was probably unexpected. Hamas took over Gaza, and in the process, on June 19 they seized the headquarters of the PLO there, along with all of their documents and records. This apparently includes CIA documents, along with Israeli Intelligence files. They say knowledge is power, and suddenly Hamas gained enormous power by seizing all the information which showed how PLO leaders and other leaders in the region had been collaborating with the Israelis and the USA against the Palestinian people themselves. This includes those who have been bribed, blackmailed, or threatened with strong-arm tactics.

The big "sin" in that part of the world is collaboration with the enemies of the Palestinians. Countless people have been killed over that issue. But now we have entered into a new era in Mideast politics. Leaders like Egypt's Hosni Mubarak are likely to feel the squeeze between the West's pressure and the pressure coming from Hamas that threatens to expose him.

Egypt's Mubarak scheduled a summit at Sharm al Sheikh the Monday after the Hamas takeover of Gaza. On June 23 he denounced the Hamas takeover. The next day he reversed himself completely in favor of Hamas and allowed top Hamas officials to travel through Cairo to Damascus to meet with Syrian leaders! A news article from DEBKAfile Intelligence dated June 29, 2007 ran a headline that read:

"Sudden Egyptian decision to lift anti-Hamas blockade of Gaza, day after condemning Hamas Gaza takeover as illegal coup: President Hosni Mubarak's astonishing U-turn"

"President Hosni Mubarak's astonishing U-turn renders pretty pointless the conference he convened in Sharm al Sheikh Monday, June 25, to discuss the Hamas takeover coup. Sunday, June 24, our exclusive intelligence sources report an official VIP convoy headed by Hamas interior minister Siad Sayam--who is believed to have masterminded the Hamas coup in Gaza--was allowed to drive out of Gaza with 15 senior Hamas commanders who led the military action against Fatah last week. Their cars bore official Palestinian government plates. Egyptian security units escorted the convoy from Rafah to Cairo international airport, where the Hamas delegation emplaned for Damascus."

Cutting Edge Weekly Newsletter comments on this, saying,

"Notice, also, the speed with which Egypt's President Mubarak made this astonishing diplomatic U-turn: on Saturday, Mubarak denounced Hamas for 'staging an illegal coup'. On Sunday, he allowed Hamas commanders to leave for Damascus. On Monday, Mubarak convened this perfectly worthless conference at Sharm al Sheikh, a meeting designed to express support for Abbas' Palestinian Authority (Fatah) over Hamas. In fact, this abrupt turn-around was a slap in the face for the leaders of Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority. . ."

"What caused this unbelievable turn-around in official Egyptian policy, a policy originally set by President Mubarak himself? Could it be that Mubarak was implicated in some very shady dealings with American and Western leaders since he took power? He assumed the Egyptian Presidency on October 14, 1981, following the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat on October 6, 1981.

"In the face of unhappiness from his own people, President Mubarak set out a path of reconciliation with Israel and cooperation with the United States. But now, for the first time, his own people can see all the gory details as to how Mubarak has been betraying the Islamic cause to American and Israeli interests all these many years.

"Are these intelligence documents the reason Mubarak changed course so rapidly?"

"While most Arab citizens generally assume their pro-Western leaders have sold out Islamic interests over the years, knowing the exact details could prove to be most explosive."

"The fallout from these intelligence documents could deliver a 10.0 diplomatic earthquake throughout the entire Middle East, causing a political tsunami the likes of which no one has ever before seen."

Cutting Edge then relates how the Saudi government made a reversal of policy as well, quoting from GulfNews, June 29, 2007. It seems that Saudi King Abdullah skipped a meeting with Palestinian President Abbas on a visit to Jordan. Abbas was kept waiting for a telephone call that never came. This was considered to be a diplomatic snub.

Again, the question is WHY?? What has changed?

At the same time, former Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain seems to have gone against his old friend, President Bush, in his appointment as special envoy to the Palestinian situation. Russia had been blocking his appointment, but on June 26 Blair called Putin to assure him that he did not intend to adhere to the US/Israeli boycott of Hamas. Russia then dropped their resistance, and Blair was appointed.

The fact that Blair called Putin, rather than Bush, is said to be another diplomatic snub. Cutting Edge comments, saying,

"President Bush may very well discover that his support from Arab governments in the Middle East has disappeared as rapidly as the morning dew retreats from the hot rising Sun."

It seems that the course of world history has turned another corner, and that we are that much closer to the climax of World War III that began on 9-11-01. Hamas may seem like an insignificant little group in the Gaza Strip prison territory, but their power has yet to be assessed, for the documents now in their hands make them far more powerful than their rockets or guns.