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(All photos: Dudi Saad/TML Photos)
Last Sunday’s Hamas election rally in ‘Azariyya, a neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem, was undoubtedly the biggest show in town. The rally began as some two hundred men, women, and children – some on horseback – paraded through the neighborhood’s streets chanting slogans and waving green Hamas flags.
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The atmosphere surrounding the rally was like a mixture of a wedding party, a rock festival, and a show of strength. In line with Hamas’ aim to position itself as the people’s party, organizers of the rally addressed not only the people’s minds, but also their stomachs, distributing cold drinks, sweets, and baked goods. On the stage, black-bearded singers sang songs opposing the Zionist enemy and in favor of saving Al-Aq’sa Mosque, while powerful loudspeakers forced even the least attentive to listen.
Warming up the crowd ahead of the candidates’ speeches, the presenter yelled Islamic slogans, which were immediately echoed by the crowd. Something that was very apparent was the successful attempt by the organizers to create one body out of the individual participants of the rally. Calling “Allah Akbar” (God is Great) every five minutes, even during the speeches, was one way. Another was to provide everyone with green hats. That way, not only did the participants sound the same, they also looked the same.
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While Muhammad Abu Teir, second on the Hamas list of candidates, delivered his speech, it was clear that the children in the crowd were preoccupied with other, more important, things. Equipped with flags twice their size, and given orders by their instructors, the children seemed to be playing an important role in the rally, and they clearly enjoyed it. Not understanding much about politics, some of them even tried to persuade the foreign reporters covering the event to vote for Hamas.
‘One Hand Builds – the Other Hand Resists’
The movement’s slogan perfectly summarizes its agenda. Two main topics dominate Hamas’ platform: reforming the Palestinian Authority at all levels and fields, and continuing the armed resistance against Israel. In the West Bank, Hamas rallies tend to emphasize both topics. The hand which resists is clearly manifested in marches, where armed activists walk in perfect order dressed in uniforms.
In east Jerusalem, however, the situation is different. While Israel is allowing the Arab residents of east Jerusalem to vote, Hamas is not allowed to hold election rallies within the municipality borders. One police vehicle observing the rally from a distance indicated that this time at least, the police would not interfere. But Hamas did not want to test the policemen’s patience, and refrained from militant marches in the streets.
When asked by The Media Line why Palestinian voters should vote for his party, Abu Teir stressed the ‘hand which builds’, saying, “The movement has credibility in the Palestinian street. The street trusts it. Its hand is clean, and its pockets are white and pure. It doesn’t engage in corruption, and doesn’t help those who are corrupt. It helps the poor and the oppressed and the defeated.” The ‘resisting hand’ is mentioned only in passing: “We will not put down our arms whatever happens, because it is our guarantee for rights and equality.”
What are you – an Israeli or a Palestinian?
Finally, to further complicate the situation in this part of the world, Hamas candidates from east Jerusalem represent a huge contradiction: on the one hand they are residents of Jerusalem, an Israeli city, while on the other they are running for the Palestinian parliament. Arab residents of east Jerusalem have a unique status: they can vote in the Jerusalem municipal elections, but are not considered Israeli citizens, so they can not vote for the Israeli parliament. They are however described as Palestinians, and can therefore vote and be voted for the Palestinian parliament.
When asked if he voted in Jerusalem’s municipal elections, Abu Teir laughs and says “No.” He is also very clear on Hamas’ aims in regard to what he calls “the Israeli occupation”: “First the occupation must leave the 1967 territories: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Al-Quds [east Jerusalem].” Abu Teir refuses to comment when asked about the pre-1967 borders.
Number 32 on the Hamas list is a female candidate. When asked the same question by The Media Line, Na’ma Halbiyya unambiguously answers, “The occupation must leave all Palestinian lands, including Tel Aviv, God willing.”