Madison-Rafah Journal

Here are some interesting reports from a Gaza friend.
Jennifer Loewenstein, 18 Dec 2006

Dec. 18th, evening:

Today was not a calm and peaceful one in Gaza as your media suggests. I drove my car as near as possible to Abbas' villa and the ministry of agriculture (3-4 minutes drive from my place). There was a heavy presence of the guards. They are worried/frightened; they behave nervously and violently. In the north (Jabalia) 10 people were kidnapped, 8 injured and one killed (believed to be a Fatah affiliate) in armed clashes.

It is said that Abbas is coming to Gaza tomorrow morning but I doubt it.

Dec. 18th, morning:

Ismael Haniya comes from a poor family living in Beach Camp. He is polite, quiet, well disciplined and he used to be a dove among hawks in the students union at the Islamic University of Gaza. Khaled e-Hindi was one of the three persons that Hamas suggested — two weeks back — for a prime minister in the suggested national unity government. Back to Haniya, I would say that yes, he is like what you know about him. He was the closest one to Ahmad Yassin since Haniya was a child. Yes, Haniya is a GOOD man.

Zahhar used to be part of the left-wing. He led the doctors' strike during the Israeli occupation in early 1980s. Accordingly, he lost his job. He wanted to be affiliate with Fathi Shuqaqi, Ramadan Shallah and Mohamed el-Hindi (Islamic Jihad) but they did not take him. Mohamed el-Hindi is the brother of Khaled el-Hindi of Hamas. Ramadan Shallah was BSc working as TA at the Faculty of Commerce. Our offices were in two adjacent rooms! Yassin knew about Zahhar. He sent for him. Zahhar visited Yassin and thus he became a member. This was never a point of strength to Zahhar as he was not brought up with other members in a mosque; in serious moment he was seen by them as an outsider, relatively speaking. Khaled el-Hindi and Ismael Haniya are younger than him but they are stronger in the organization. Zahhar did everything possible and impossible to gain acceptance among the group. Yassin's support was the only advantage in his favor. Yes, he is an opportunist, an arrogant man and a THUG. He uses Islam.

Dahlan is like what you described him, even worse. He used to come to class looking slovenly and disshevelled. He used to put on plastic slippers but not shoes. His Youth Organization used to pay his tuition fees and for books, stationary and pocket money. His parents' home in Khan Younis camp is located in a place where Dahlan's extended family is (It's so small as comapred with usual families in Gaza). His home is a small, simple, primitive home with a tin door. It is still there. In his family there are seven deaf and dumb members because of successive generations of in-breeding, marriage of first cousins, etc. In many cases when a young man cannot get married because of marriage expenses, he marries a cousin as it would not cost him but very little or just nothing. When Dahlan was in Shabeeba, Fatah's youth organization, he was constantly created misunderstandings and disagreements with other youth organizations ke that of Hamas or Islamic Jihad or PFLP. He deliberately created problems and scuffles. He was never a moderator. Haniya was in the same kind of environment, if I may say, but was known for seeking peaceful and constructive ways out of problems. Dahlan, unlike Haniya, is CHEAP, DECEITFUL and SELFISH.

The thing is that I know much about the Islamic and national movements and their shortcomings and strengths, etc. I could write a book on that but it will cost me my life, I am sure. There is no objectivity in our life and partiality is taking our society, life and history to a God foresaken place! This is why I insist on my independence and I always like to appear as an academic. Notice how almost all independents in WB and GS had fallen in the elections, whereas in Mauretania, the independents achived almost 33% of the parilaments' seats!

Dec. 17th, evening:

A female university student was killed by stray bullet when some shot at Zahhar. It has been confirmed that Presidential guard has kidnapped two Hamas activists near Al-Azhar University. Cross fire around Abbas villa has stopped but two mortar shells fall near the president's office injuring a child. In Sheikh Radwan a man threw a hand grenade at a group of Hamas militants; they captured him. Cross fire is going on around al-Awdeh hospital in Jabaia camp. Dahlan gave an inciting speech in Jenin where he called for fighting the insane, idiot, and those who stole the fortunes of the Palestinian people — Hamas!

Morning attack was on two posts of the presidential guard. The one is in Sudanea and the other was in Sheikh Ajleen. One guard was killed. Midday, armed men shoot from a buidling from at Zahhar's car convoy. Presidental guard occupied two buildings of ministy of agriculture and ministry of works. The two building are in the neighbourhood of Abbas villa. Citizens and locals in that place are not allowed to leave their homes. Its like a curfew. From there different armed people shoot at their targets. Meantime, the executive force of the ministy of interior exchanged fire with Abbas's men, from top of buildings as well as from streets' corners. There are troubles at Al-Jalaa street and at the square near Dr. Haider Abdu-Shafi's house. There have also been skirmishes in the middle area, Khan Younis and Rafah.

Dec. 17th, morning:

Today, Abass met with the elections' central committee and with an American delegation. Haniya calls upon the confliced for self-control and so was the call by spokesman of the ministry of interior. But the later inserted threats in the middle of his call! Police force, al-Qassam, Executive force, al-Aqsa brigades, al-Nasser Salaheddin brigades, and others are shooting at each other! Sometime, I feel it unsafe to go out. There are unconfirmed news of kidnapping! Local raidos call for ecavuating children of three schools and kids are unable to leave schools whereas parents cannot and are not allowed to reach to their children. Cross fire and shooting at this moment is on the rise. We have been in this situation for more than three hours. Al-Nasser Salaheddin spokesman named Abbas, Dahlan and Oriqat traitors and forbidden to come back to Gaza because "Death is waiting for them." Well, by all means, hard time is ahead of us.

Dec. 16th:

Good morning to you from Gaza. Thanks for your prompt reply. I am aware of the time difference between Gaza and USA, but the US news reports really irritate me because they are so fraught with inaccuracies. I do agree with what you said about both guys, Zahhar and Dahlan. I know them in person. Zahhar and I worked together from 1982-1988. I arrived from XX University two months before him entering the campus, but remained on the part-time wage for two years, whereas, he, Abdul-Azizi al-Rantisis and Khalil Abu Laila (Hamas block spokesman) were given permanent jobs from day one and with double salary because they are medical doctors. With them the university started a clinic then, after two years, a school of nursing. I had rounds of discussions with him and, of course, disagreements on different issues. Dahlan was one of my students. I know much about his behaviour and attitudes. Of the others whom I taught in the same course was Ismail Haniya.

On the home front, let me tell you that situation is so serious and uncomfortable with the vast majority of the people: assassinations, kidnapping, shooting, blocked roads, etc. Almost an hour ago, a man was kidnapped in font of my eyes. It was said that he is Muhammad Siyyam from the intellegent service!