Who's the boss?
Gaza militias challenge Hamas effort to stabilize Strip following takeover
Hamas met its key target in the Gaza Strip: It defeated the Fatah movement and dismantled Palestinian Authority security apparatuses loyal to Mahmoud Abbas.
Yet the attack at the Erez crossing proves that the radical Muslim group is still far from achieving its second objective – it is unable to curb the armed anarchy. We can still see armed groups making their own laws and defying Hamas' authority.
We are talking about splinter groups that split from Hamas and Fatah in the past, as well as clans that established their own armed militias in order to protect themselves and their criminal business activity vis-à-vis other families. Some of these factions and clans apparently receive aid and funding from organizations affiliated with al-Qaeda.
One of these armed groups, affiliated with the Popular Resistance Committees, which is closely associated with Hamas, was apparently the one that attempted to attack an IDF position at the Erez crossing and ended up harming Fatah refugees attempting to flee the Strip.
This operation contradicts the interests of Hamas, which at this time is making an effort to prove that it has been able to stabilize a responsible government in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas leadership is attempting to create an image of a legal rule and seeks intra-Palestinian, international, and Arab legitimacy to the regime it established in the Gaza Strip. This is a prerequisite for it to demand that Israel and the international community grant it vital civilian assistance, so that it can provide for the needs of the million and a half Palestinians under its control in Gaza.
This is the reason why Hamas military wing members and the organization's "operational force," which is supposed to replace the Palestinian Authority's security arms in maintaining law and order, did not attempt to take over the crossings into Israel and Egypt. They stopped short of this so that Israel and Egypt would have no pretext for curbing the transfer of aid through the crossings.
Hamas has indeed placed roadblocks en route to the crossings in order to block Fatah refugees from escaping, yet as noted above, Hamas is careful not to strike at the crossings. This is not true for armed groups that have no pretenses of controlling the Strip and have no governing responsibility. These groups have an interest in flexing their muscles in order to force Hamas to take them and their members into consideration and refrain from attempts to disarm them.
Tough days ahead for Barak
Hamas began searching homes a few days ago while focusing on the above-mentioned groups and clans, in order to show the population that it is serious in its intention to succeed where the Palestinian Authority and Fatah failed – that is, end the armed anarchy and curb crime and corruption.
Yet the armed groups and clans do not intend to surrender and disarm. One of them is the Durmush clan, which has dubbed its sons and the gunmen operating in cooperation with it "Army of Islam." This clan was party to the Gilad Shalit abduction in conjunction with Hamas and the Popular Resistance Committees.
The Durmush family, the "Army of Islam," also abducted British journalist Alan Johnston. Yet when Hamas attempted to make a gesture to the international community and demanded Johnston's release, the head of the clan, Mumtaz Durmush, made it clear to them he was the boss and refused to release the British journalist.
The battle at the Erez crossing and the Durmush clan's refusal to release Johnston are a clear challenge by the armed and independent groups and clans to the Hamas rule. As things stand now, it appears that Hamas does not intend to give in. Hence, in the coming days we are likely to see the continuation of armed clashes in the Gaza Strip. These clashes can have implications for us too.
Hamas has no interest in provoking Israel at this time. It needs time to organize and strengthen its forces. This is exactly the reason why one or several of the armed groups Hamas seeks to disarm will attempt to strike at Israeli territory or launch rockets at the western Negev. An Israeli response would force Hamas to contend with the IDF and ease the military pressure on these groups. Intra-Palestinian disputes always boil over to our territory in one way or another.
In any case, Israel now needs to quickly decide to transfer Fatah refugees stuck at the Erez crossing to the West Bank. Otherwise, we will be responsible for their deaths. At the same time, we need to boost the forces dealing with the prevention of Qassam rocket attacks. These forces were pulled back a little in recent days and the IDF should be ready to redeploy them in the previous format.
We will apparently also need to act in an effort to curb the smuggling that has turned into a flood on the Philadelphi Route. We are talking about above-ground smuggling through breaches in the wall. One thing is certain – incoming Defense Minister Ehud Barak will not have no breathing space in the coming days.
