Barry Rubin writes about They’re Dictators and Terrorists But What Clean Streets!, after outlining the failures of Fatah, Prof. Rubin lays out the secrets of Hamas’s success.
As for Hamas, it possesses three key weapons.
The mainstream appeal of extremism and terrorism. “Hamas is strong and brutal but very good at governing,” Eyad Sarraj told the New York Times, which describes him as a British-trained psychiatrist and secular opponent of Hamas, After all, he continues, it’s distributing gas coupons, getting people to pay electricity bills, and keeping the city clean.
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The success of ideological demagoguery. One Hamas supporter told a reporter: “Israel is trying to pressure us to make us forget that the real problem is the occupation.” Of course, there is no Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip, which is one reason why Hamas was able to seize power. “We can take it,” she continued, “The Koran teaches that in the end we will be victorious.”
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Finally, there’s the strange conclusion that since Hamas isn’t about to fall from power, this proves sanctions have failed. One could say it shows economic and military pressures should be raised further. But at least it should be understood that the sanctions’ purpose is to make Hamas less able to kill even more people, take over the West Bank, damage Israel, or turn Gaza into–to stand Bush’s view on its head–an “attractive alternative.”
The media have been virtual accomplices in bringing Hamas to power, by fostering the impression that, at least, Hamas could make the “trains run on time.” I’ve blogged about how reporters would whitewash Hamas’s ideology and profile one or another Hamas politician who was delivering services. They were, I suppose, good government terrorists.
But of course once they actually had a chance to rule, they proved as corrupt as Fatah. The problem was the media wasn’t nearly as interested in looking into how they operated then.
Prof Rubin’s last point is important too. Last week Griff Witte noted that according to polls Hamas’s popularity has been falling. Still the foreign policy sophisticates insist that Israeli efforts are retaliation – “collective punishment” according to Nicholas Kristoff – for the missiles fired on the Negev.
The latest ceasefire only served to strengthen Hamas politically (and diplomatically.) It may pay off in a short respite for the Israelis of the Negev, but there will be a price to pay.
Fatah is weak and corrupt. Part of that weakness stems from its military defeat by Israel during Operation Defensive Shield. The only thing that will defeat Hamas, unfortunately, is a campaign of a similar nature, with all the costs that is likely to entail.
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
