There may or may not be a major Israeli incursion into Gaza to “root out” (the words are in quotes because the operation cannot possibly succeed, as previous ones have failed as well) Palestinian militants firing Qassams into Israel. Since there is at least a 50% chance of invasion AND the situation on the ground grows increasingly desperate by the day, and because there is very little direct reporting from Gaza by media sources (and none from Israeli papers), I thought it important to feature this Middle East Progress interview with N.Y. Times Gaza reporter, Taghreed El-Khodary. In this climate devoid of hope, with the same bleak news day after day, it is all too easy to lose sight of the real human beings who are suffering there. El-Khodary provides a bracing antidote to that telling us what’s happening to the average Gazan.
And for my pro-Israel readers, don’t expect a whitewash of the situation. El-Khodary is critical of both Fatah and Hamas, along with Israel. Here are some of the most telling passages from the interview:
This is the worst time that Gaza has ever gone through. The situation is deteriorating on a daily basis because of the harsh effects of the closure. It touches every element of daily life in Gaza.
…There are hundreds of students with scholarships to study in different parts of the world. But because of the closure they cannot leave Gaza—they cannot leave through Israel, they cannot leave through Egypt. So they are stuck. The young people are so desperate. Last year they were desperate, this year they are more desperate. They have no goal in life. You have a generation that finished high school but they cannot go abroad if they wish to study, they cannot find a job if they want to work, they cannot go to university at home because their family cannot even afford to send them to local universities. So they are being asked to wait until the situation improves.
People are not starving in Gaza, thanks to UNWRA. The international community has insured basic supplies for every household. But people tell me that they are realizing that life is not all about food. Life is about other things, too. They tell me that they see Hamas has insured internal security and that’s maybe the only thing they have insured. There are no gangs in the street, no people with guns…
But people are saying, internal security is not everything, you need the other elements in life—you need to have a job, you need to see a future for your children. Young people need to plan for their future. They should not feel suffocated.
Should there ever be a really catastrophic incident in Gaza (I don’t even want to conjure what form that might take), remember this statement:
I’ve been meeting with the senior leaders of Hamas the past week and they all are interested in reconciliation, period, there is a sense of desperation from Hamas for reconciliation. Because they know that the effect of the closure has been so harsh that people cannot take it any longer. Gaza is like a bomb ready to explode. It hasn’t yet, and nobody knows when it might finally explode and where that explosion will hit.
Interestingly, El-Khodary notes that the average Gazan is highly critical of the terror attacks against Israel:
The Qassams have definitely been criticized by people in the community, as have all the fighters and the military factions. People cannot understand, for example, why they would be hitting Israeli crossings when these crossings allow for basic supplies and fuel to come into Gaza. It doesn’t make sense. You want fuel from Israel so why hit the checkpoints? It leads to a huge gap between the leadership and the people. One of the senior Hamas leaders came out with a statement for the first time criticizing any group that hits any crossing, because the leadership understands that people know it doesn’t make sense.
The problem is that Gazans feel, rightfully so, that Israel and the U.S. hold all the cards here. Until their predicament eases, they have no interest, motivation, or even ability to take things into their own hands and pressure militants to rein in their attacks.
The Israeli siege reminds me of a donkey owner who decides the best way to get his animal to move is by beating it mercilessly with a stick. Of course, this only makes the animal dig in its heels. Have you ever tried to move a stubborn donkey? It never occurred to the man to try a carrot.
“But earlier your statements suggested that the closure policy actually seemed to be influencing people against Hamas. If the brakes had not been applied economically to fuel and non-essentials, then Hamas might not be feeling this pressure, no?”
That wasn’t in boldface, but was apparently from the interviewer. Anyway, it was really creepy and unintentionally revealing. People in the US go hysterical over the proposal to boycott Israeli universities (an idea which I also oppose), but the blockade on Gaza is 1000 times worse and this interviewer obviously thinks it’s a legitimate tactic, to be judged successful if it has made people put pressure on Hamas.
A lot of Westerners are much closer to the terrorist mindset than they ever let themselves realize.
“I’ve been meeting with the senior leaders of Hamas the past week and they all are interested in reconciliation, period, there is a sense of desperation from Hamas for reconciliation.”
What does that mean? With whom does Hamas seek reconciliation, and how is Hamas going about it? Surely it isn’t with the Jewish state, whose destruction is its sworn mission. With Gazans?
@neurodoc: If you read the original article she makes clear that she’s talking about reconcilation bet. Fatah & Hamas. When there is talk about negotiation bet. Hamas & Israel no one ever uses the term “reconciliation” as that would be a far too optimistic term to use.
‘The Israeli siege reminds me of a donkey owner who decides the best way to get his animal to move is by beating it mercilessly with a stick. Of course, this only makes the animal dig in its heels. Have you ever tried to move a stubborn donkey? It never occurred to the man to try a carrot.’
With a donkey, the carrot technique might work. With Man, it’s never that simple; there are some situations where employing both the carrot and the stick is the only way forward. Each method, of itself, possesses insufficient leverage to act upon the situation. But, when fused together, they often provide an unstoppable combination, one in which things really can get moving again.
And at quite a fair old pace as well.
http://yorketowers.blogspot.com
Very good interview- thanks for pointing to it.
The Fulbright scholarship episode was so indicative. You have to wonder if those with the power to make changes really want change especially if it means they lose their power or their maximalist goals.
So in Israel and the US some probably feel the seige/squeeze is working then and so israel can bear the bad press. The status quo is just fine for israel and the painful stuff need not be addressed, nothing given up or compromised.
So Will Hamas actually moderate itself (cry uncle)? Will the factions give up their addiction to guns and revenge for the sake of the whole and a future?
The last intifada the situation was similar in that the people were so angry with corrupt Fatah as well as Israel but people took it out on Israel because that was more acceptable. This suits the factions. So perhaps the next explosion will be deja vu Explosion will provoke justifications in Israel, itching to go into Gaza to “clean the place out- once and for all”- “teach them a lesson”.
This is how things get bloody unstuck- before they get stuck again- more death and destruction. A way of life as David Grossman would put it.
You can’t be optimistic based on recent history. And so everything is pinned on the right convergence of leadership coming along one of these days again.
Ethan Bronner has a companion piece in today’s NYT -with El -Khodary contributing:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/world/middleeast/15gaza.html?_r