The Warped Mirror: 'Israel has never looked so good'

Lebanon's Daily Star is perhaps not a typical Arab newspaper, but you wouldn't really expect that an editorial there announces that "Hamas and Fatah are a bigger threat to the Palestinians than Israel" - and you certainly wouldn't expect as conclusion a statement like "Israel has never looked so good."

Commenting on the flight of some 180 men who sought safety from Palestinian infighting in Gaza by escaping to Israel last week, the Daily Star reminded its readers that this was actually not the first time that Palestinians sought refuge in Israel:

The scenes of Israel coming to the rescue of Palestinians after a bout of Arab fratricide were reminiscent of the events of Black September, during which scores of Palestinians sought asylum in Israel to escape King Hussein's crackdown on the Palestine Liberation Organization. The only difference this time around is that instead of seeking refuge from a heavy-handed Arab crackdown, Palestinians are fleeing from the murderous hands of their own Palestinian brothers."

The bitter fighting between rival Palestinian factions was deplored by many Arab commentators; however, in the Western press, the coverage seemed somewhat muted, particularly if one imagined the likely outcry if it had been Israel, and not Hamas, that fired some 300 mortar shells and dozens of rocket-propelled grenades into the Gaza neighborhood of the Hilles clan, causing much destruction and leaving some dozen people dead and about 100 wounded.

These events inevitably put the spotlight on the dismal state of Palestinian affairs, and while many Arab commentators argued that both Fatah and Hamas had failed the Palestinian people, the criticism of Hamas was particularly sharp, not least because the group had taken control over the Gaza Strip with similarly unrestrained violence just over a year ago.

It was therefore especially interesting that the newsmagazine Spiegel offered an unusual look at the good life of Gaza's rulers. According to this report, "Gaza's de facto leader Ismail Haniya, has gained 28 kilos (62 lbs) and set up his office in the former government guesthouse - with an ocean view, of course." Far from sharing the misery that afflicts Gaza according to most international media reports, Hamas is apparently doing quite well. One of its sources of income is due to its control over the distribution of gasoline: "Anyone who wishes to buy gas must first buy an 'insurance policy' from Hamas, for about EUR170 ($264), in return for a coupon that entitles its holder to buy 20 liters (5.3 gallons) once every two weeks - even now, with Israel allowing 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) of fuel for cars into the Gaza Strip."

In addition, Hamas reportedly collects about $10,000 a day from the owners of the smuggling tunnels to Egypt; these "usage fees" are payable in cash to armed money collectors who wait at the tunnel exits. And the owners of the tunnels are apparently also doing quite well:

The king of the tunnel builders had given a dazzling party, with roses from Egypt and dancing into the early morning hours. Thousands of people came to the event to celebrate his wedding to his 15-year-old bride. He had chosen the girl, and her family gave her up gladly, because no one contradicts the man they call Abu Ibrahim. He is the richest man in Rafah and is believed to be worth millions. He drives a gold-colored Jeep and has built a multi-story commercial building ... Abu Ibrahim, 38, has Hamas to thank for his wealth, and Hamas owes its power in the Gaza Strip to Abu Ibrahim. ... At first he smuggled gold, cheese and cigarettes, but after the beginning of the second Intifada in 2000 his business shifted mainly to weapons. It was Ibrahim who helped arm the Islamists and provided them with the Kalashnikovs, ammunition and explosives they have used since assuming power in June of last year."

In addition to money and weapons, the enforcement of "order" and an increased measure of religious observance is another facet of Hamas' power. The man known as "Hamas' mufti" is resolved to introduce "the best aspects of the Iranian and the Saudi Arabian system", and the first steps have already been taken: religious study in schools has been extended, new minarets are being built everywhere in Gaza, alcohol is no longer available, and mixed dancing at weddings is no longer allowed.

This report about Gaza definitely makes for very worthwhile reading, not least because many analysts believe that if it was not for the presence of the IDF in the West Bank, Hamas would quickly take over power there, too. There are those who argue that Israel should therefore simply be prepared to control the West Bank for the foreseeable future. But the problem that is being overlooked in this reasoning is that the threat of a complete Hamas takeover will also lead more Palestinians to at least tacitly agree that "Israel has never looked so good" - meaning, as Sari Nusseibeh once noted, "that many Palestinians would feel more at home in a democracy shared with Israelis than in a Palestinian state run by Hamas."