James Hider in Jerusalem, and Azmi Keshawi in Gaza City
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It may not have any ships, sailors or seafaring equipment, but those logistical details have not prevented Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules the Gaza Strip, from launching a naval defence force.
“The requirements to join are that you have to be a good soldier, be fit, and know how to swim,” said the coastal patrol’s only confirmed member and commander, Jamil al-Dahashan, a veteran of the armed wing of Hamas.
The new force is expected to take to the waves — or at least the beaches — in a couple of weeks, where it will battle against prostitution and drug abuse. Eventually, when it has a boat, the navy will venture out to sea, where one of its main tasks will be to intercept Gazan fishermen who moonlight as informants for the Israelis.
Since Hamas launched a short but savage war against the Western-backed Fatah security forces in Gaza in June, seizing total power in the densely populated coastal strip, it has set about reforming its underground guerrilla organisation into a proper army and police force, modelled along the lines of Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Hamas’s control of the land border has made it more difficult for Palestinian collaborators, recruited by Israel, to pass on their information from Gaza. Hamas believes that the sea has become an important conduit for spies.
The new coastguard, the Dahra, will form part of the uniformed Executive Force, with law enforcement — and catching drug smugglers in particular –— as its priority. Any coastal assaults by Israel would be handled by the armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, although during an invasion all available armed men would be called upon to fight.
As Israel and the international community rush to support the Fatah-led Government in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip has become increasingly isolated, its economy on the verge of total collapse due to its strict isolation.
The UN yesterday cautioned that economic implosion was imminent. “Gaza risks becoming a virtually 100 per cent aid dependent, closed down and isolated community within a matter of months or weeks, if the present regime of closure continues,” Filippo Grandi, deputy head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said. Facing such hardship, Hamas has made an effort to show itself to be a party of law and order in the Gaza Strip.
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SC, London - Why not the USS Cole? It smacks of hypocricy and double-standards and as such, would be far more apt.
Dan, Hampton, UK
Sir,
I wonder if Hamas will call it the USS Liberty?
SC, London, United Kingdom
Yes , they dont have any boat yet , but i know they will have because i'm iranian and i know my hitleresit goverment . they will do more than this to prevent peace progress in palestine ,
Saeed, bushehr, iran
It is amazing how ignorant some people are. Salviati should read what Hamas says about the destruction of Israel. He also does not seem capable of understanding the few lines I wrote. I said Hamas should feed their people by bringing in food not weapons. He may also not like to know that Israel left viable agriculture when they left Gaza but rather than bother to work the farms, all the palestinians could manage was the destruction of them.
I did not call for the extermination of palestinians through starvation, I called for them to get their house in order !
He may also not like to know that the palestinians have had billions of dollars of aid and the only uses they could think of putting the aid to was the enrichment of their leaders and the purchase of arms.
Tony, Edgware,
When oppressive tyranny drives a people to take up freedom"s sword, there is only victory or death ahead for them. The terrible isolation of Gaza must make the latter eventuality even more desirable than the former for these people. They have "jaw-jawed" for half a century with no useful outcome.
Piggy Kruger, Bridgwater, UK
mr salivati he did not say exterminate them he said simply to not provide them...low on brain cells huh...or just blinded by political correctness
frabs, vienna,
It is weird how there is always "Risk of a Humanitarian Disaster" in Gaza. They have been living on EU welfare for the past 20 years, and will continue to do so. All additional financing they get from the Arab world and Iran is used to buy weapons. 1 in 3 Gazans has a gun. And the average age is 15.
Alan, Montreal, Canada
Tony I find what you say very interesting. You claim that the Palestinians in Gaza "want the extermination of Israelis" and then call for their extermination of Palestinians through starvation. Very interesting, Adolf Hitler and Andrew Jackson would be proud.
Salviati, New York, US
Fair winds & following seas, you brave... ...navy-of-one.
And when you DO get a boat, as I know you will, "give-em hell"!
Captain America, Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S.A.
Should they ever get round to launching a boat, it will be sunk just as quickly as it puts to see. This cretinous movement will die, as it began, as no more than an inland slum club.
Maynard, Oxford, UK
gazza going bank rupt? hamas wont change its anti-jewish hatred?why should we westerners help? after all we been helping them for decades.i guess govt has to figure out hard way to.GOD doesnt allow a people tt suffer while its leaders gloat.the best way the west can help those palistains is not help them.i want my tax money to go to people who care about us ,not wish us death.hamas needs westrern isolation,unite palistains, dont give the world the wrong veiw of yourselfs. hamas and others try to constatnly remind us how much you hate jews and westerners. if this is true, why do we still help you? what would happen if a western unified peoples comes together and says enough is enough?rid your bad reputations now,you are a peacefull people.be fair in ur feelings GOD demands this.
anthony, seattle, washington
Hamas are still smuggling weapons to the Gaza strip. If they can get weapons in then it should be no problem for them to move food in. At the moment food is provided by Israel and I have no idea why Israel would want to feed those who want only their extermination.
The Hamas issue is a total lack of concern for their people in their bloodthirsty campaign for Islamic rule.
Tony, Edgware,