Do Not Raise the Hamas Flag!
Al-Masry Al-Youm, Egypt, October 19
I was filled with a sense of solidarity and deep admiration while witnessing a massive demonstration in London, the capital of Britain, in support of Palestine. The crowd fervently denounced Israel’s ruthless attacks on civilians in Gaza, leaving no doubt about their stance on the matter. This show of unity was mirrored in the demonstrations that took place just yesterday in front of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate and in numerous squares across the country, all with a singular goal: to reject the notion of erasing the Palestinian cause by forcibly displacing the people of Gaza to Sinai. This rejection was backed by strong statements stressing that such a move would pose a grave threat to Egyptian national security. However, amid this fervor, there were some individuals who raised the flags of the Hamas organization and chanted its name. It was as if they saw this as the central issue, overshadowing the larger and more pressing concerns of land, occupation, and genocide faced by our fellow Palestinians in Gaza. This troubled me. The Hamas terror group has always been a concern, as it has been known to drive even Satan himself to insanity with its devious tactics and false facade of composure. We are well aware of Israel’s illegal occupation of Arab lands and its blatant disregard for the two-state solution, as well as its consistent violation of Palestinian rights under the guise of self-defense. However, what is truly alarming is the recent surge in Hamas’ savagery, targeting hospitals and committing heinous crimes that can only be described as genocidal. And to add insult to injury, they have the audacity to shift the blame onto the Islamic Jihad organization instead. As the recent Hamas operation unfolded, I couldn’t help but feel concerned. This armed organization, regardless of its size and interactions with other Arab nations, has a tumultuous history with the Egyptian state. It has seen its fair share of ups and downs, major crises, and disagreements in ideology and methods. At times, incidents involving Hamas have even caused strain on Egypt as it strives toward establishing peace in the Palestinian territories. I must admit, I was concerned when I heard the names Hamas and Jihad being chanted. Both are Palestinian factions that operate within the larger Palestinian state. It is crucial that all factions work together, under the guidance of the Palestinian Authority, to achieve unity and avoid any harmful conflicts. The cause for Palestinian statehood must be our top priority, and any division among these factions will ultimately affect the entire Arab nation in a negative way. Sadly, this is precisely what we are seeing now. The purpose of the chants should have been to condemn Israel’s atrocities committed against the people of Gaza and to show solidarity with the Egyptian government in their rejection of the American-Israeli plan to forcibly relocate Palestinians to Sinai or any other location. It must be emphasized that the people of Gaza have no other home than Gaza itself. It is disheartening to note that there are planned demonstrations for today organized by certain political groups, as well as spontaneous protests to voice collective outrage over the current situation. However, it is my fervent hope that the flags of Hamas will not be flown again, and instead, only those of Egypt and Palestine will dominate the rallying cries. —Abd Al-Latif Al-Munawi (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
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