Re: [Marxism] A SETBACK FOR THE BUSH DOCTRINE IN GAZA

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think there is a slight prettification going on of what Hamas has done.  

What I said is that, "to all intents and purposes,"  Hamas has set up a
separate, exclusively Hamas regime in Gaza. I did not suggest they were
aiming at a formal Gaza Islamic ministate.

They have not only broken the Fatah  armed bands organized by Dahlan, they
have swept Fatah out of Gaza.  The formal recognition of Abbas as president
does not run counter to this fact, and is not a real indication of a course
toward a genuine united front, which I do not believe is seriously desired
by the top leadership on either side.  

The general sacking and destruction of Fatah offices and the Arafat home in
Gaza are symbols of this. And it was all but an invitation to the Dahlan
forces on the West Bank to take the offensive against Hamas there.

Did I say anywhere that Hamas has lost interest in what happens on the West
Bank?  Not at all.  The fighting there also will probably become two-sided
if Dahlan pursues the offensive there. Crushing Hamas on the West Bank will
not be easy.

Of course, I defend Hamas against imperialism and Israel, which also means
against the attacks of  Fatah, which are an expression right now of
US-Israeli pressure. I am glad the Dahlan forces were beaten.  But the very
clear driving of Fatah out of the Gaza Strip is a dangerous and reckless
move which deals a further blow to the prospects of Palestinian unity.

One reason the Times puts such stress on the destruction of the home of
Arafat, a man whom the Times hated with passion all the days of his
political life - a passion that far surpasses even the hatred of Timesman
Burns for Sadr in Iraq - is that they know that it symbolizes the
elimination of Fatah from Gaza and a further blow to the unity of the
Palestinian people, and to the recognition of the continuity and historical
character of that struggle.

To turn away from this dynamic, I think Hamas should firmly decide not to
rule Gaza alone, to allow and foster the re-establishment of Fatah there.
They are in charge there now, and they need to take strong affirmative
action to share power IN GAZA,  where they are overwhelmingly the more
popular force as well as the decisively stronger military force.

I hope I am reading all the tea leaves wrong, and that all the information
we are getting about Gaza is worthless propaganda - and it may be so.  But
right now I see no force fighting to restore the united front of the
Palestinian people against  Israel.

Also, I think that Israel has very little incentive at the moment to ease
the pressure on the West Bank, unless Abbas and Dahlan can show the capacity
to crush the Palestinian movement there. Any concessions will be very small
and rather short-term.  The first conflict with the Palestinians will lead
to their elimination. Only a completely prostrate and Israeli-dominated
"Palestine" is acceptable to the Israeli rulers today, and the Palestinian
movement is not strong enough to force any other "solution" on them today.

By the way, I think the demographics of the situation will keep two-state
proposals alive, and I continue to continue this to be legitimate as a
transitional step toward a united Palestine and the abolition of the Zionist
regime. It can arise again as a serious matter, however, only through a much
strengthened movement of the Palestinians. Walls that have been built can
come down.  We have some relatively recent experience with that. 

Fred Feldman




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