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March 20, 2019 7:45 am
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Has the ‘Arab Spring’ Sprung in Gaza?

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avatar by Yoni Ben Menachem / JNS.org

Opinion

Palestinian rioters gather at the Israel-Gaza Strip border fence, east of Gaza City, Feb. 22, 2019. Photo: Reuters / Mohammed Salem.

JNS.orgHamas has failed in its attempts to silence media coverage of the protests in Gaza against the rising cost of living. Despite its efforts, these demonstrations continue. They are led by an independent youth movement called “We Want to Live!” [bidna naish in Arabic], which receives widespread public support and backing from PLO factions.

By the end of last week, Hamas security forces had carried out dozens of arrests throughout the Gaza Strip, detaining demonstrators who took part in the protests. Several journalists covering the demonstrations were also arrested.

The demonstrations began on March 14. Hamas security forces dispersed the demonstrators with gunfire and clubs, especially in the central demonstrations in the Jabalya refugee camp and in Deir al-Balah.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights reported on March 16 that demonstrations also took place in the Jabalya, Al-Bureij, and Nuseirat refugee camps, and the cities of Khan Yunis and Rafah, and that these protests were forcibly dispersed by Hamas security forces.

The director of the Center for Human Rights, Jamil Sarhan, and another lawyer named Bahar al-Turkhamani were beaten by Hamas police.

The anger of the residents of the Gaza Strip is increasing due to the difficult economic situation, taxes, and rising unemployment. Hamas is also suffering from severe financial distress, as the first anniversary of the “March of Return” approaches on March 30, 2019.

Many in the Gaza Strip saw the first year of the Hamas-initiated march as a failure because the campaign failed to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip as Hamas promised, despite more than 100 fatalities and the thousands of injuries.

According to sources in the Gaza Strip, the “We Want to Live” movement is an independent youth movement that has no ties to any political body. Gazans say that Hamas is increasing taxes to build up the organization’s revenues. Those who are suffering the most are the residents who are not affiliated with the organization and do not receive services from Hamas institutions.

According to residents’ testimonies, Hamas imposed taxes on medical treatment in hospitals and on surgeries, even on those people who already paid for medical insurance. The taxes on vehicle licensing were also raised, and a tax of NIS 200 ($55) was imposed on all goods weighing more than a ton.

Hamas also increased the tax on goods smuggled from Egypt into the Gaza Strip through the tunnels. A pack of “Royal” cigarettes, which were sold for NIS 4 (a little more than $1) now cost between NIS 26 and NIS 30 (between $7 and $8).

Representatives of all the Palestinian factions met on March 16 in the offices of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the Gaza Strip to discuss the latest developments and the violent clampdown on the demonstrations. Hamas and Islamic Jihad boycotted the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, the participants issued a statement in support of the youth movement holding the demonstrations.

The following decisions were announced:

  • Opposition to all forms of suppression of the protests and against any violations of the human rights of demonstrators.
  • Calls upon Hamas to punish anyone who attacked the demonstrators and issue an apology to them, and to withdraw all its security personnel from the streets.
  • Support for the just demands of the demonstrators.
  • Calls upon Hamas to stop all types of taxes on goods and to introduce price controls.
  • Calls upon Egypt to renew the reconciliation process.

Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, who has good relations with the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip, called on the leadership to stop all forms of oppression and the use of force against the “cost of living” demonstrators. He also called on Egypt to intervene and secure a Palestinian national agreement.

These developments are in accordance with the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) and its leader, Mahmoud Abbas, who is encouraging these protests. Two years ago, on the advice of Palestinian Intelligence Chief Majed Faraj, Abbas decided to impose sanctions on the Gaza Strip and worsen the situation there to make the economic situation so dire that Gazan residents would rebel against Hamas. PA sources reported that Abbas appealed to Egypt and Qatar to exert influence on Hamas to stop suppressing the demonstrators.

Fatah spokesman Osama al-Qawasmeh appeared on official Palestinian television and called on demonstrators to continue their protests: “Our message is to our heroes who are fighting Hamas militias in the Gaza Strip, because the road to Jerusalem begins with a revolution against tyranny. We in the Fatah movement stand with you, and we will always be loyal to you.”

In the Gaza Strip, there is already talk that the “Arab Spring” has reached the enclave, and that Hamas attempts to divert internal and international attention from the demonstrations by firing two M-75 Fajr rockets at Tel Aviv had failed.

The phenomenon of the “Arab Spring” began in Tunisia in 2011, after a vegetable vendor named Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire in the city of Sidi Said. Now, Gazans are following Bouazizi’s example in Gaza.

Gaza resident Ahmed Abu Tahn, 32, set himself on fire on March 16 to protest the rising cost of living after being expelled from his home when he could not afford the rent.

The violent repression and arrests of demonstrators by Hamas members are also considered a “black stain” on the organization, which is losing its popularity in the Gaza Strip.

The protests against Hamas continued even after the bombing of Hamas targets by the Israeli Air Force. According to sources in the Gaza Strip, these protests are supposed to continue. At the same time, Hamas also tried to blame the PA’s leaders for the difficult economic situation.

Of course, Israel will soon again be blamed for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as well.

Attorney Fahmi Shabaneh, a former senior Palestinian intelligence official in the West Bank, told the Hamas paper Al-Risala on March 16 that PA security forces were encouraging instability in the Gaza Strip, paying money to transport people to demonstrations, and taking advantage of the difficult economic situation. “Once an agreement is reached between Israel and Hamas, everything will end,” says Shabaneh.

Yoni Ben Menachem, a veteran Arab affairs and diplomatic commentator for Israel Radio and Television, is a senior Middle East analyst for the Jerusalem Center. He served as director general and chief editor of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.

The opinions presented by Algemeiner bloggers are solely theirs and do not represent those of The Algemeiner, its publishers or editors. If you would like to share your views with a blog post on The Algemeiner, please be in touch through our Contact page.

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