Ironically, the menace of the Islamic State supporters may boost Hamas’s chances for survival, since Israel and others may see Hamas as a relatively stabilizing presence in Gaza compared to Islamic State.
For Israel, which has fought a series of deadly wars with Hamas, the Palestinian terror group’s presence in Gaza has been a serious threat to national security. But has Hamas’s governance of Gaza also created some stability? In a recent address to Israeli community leaders at Kibbutz Nahal Oz near the Israeli border with Gaza, Israel Defense Forces southern commander Maj. Gen. Sami Turgeman acknowledged as much, saying he sees no immediate alternative to Hamas’s rule in Gaza.
“Gaza has an independent authority that functions like a country; there is a government and an annual plan, with executive bodies and inspection authorities,” Turgeman said.
Over the past several months Israel has eased up on some restrictions in Gaza, allowing exports of fruits and vegetables and permitting a greater number of reconstruction materials into the area.
It seems that as the region becomes increasingly violent and unstable, Israeli policy makers feel it’s better to have the devil you know, Hamas, than the devil you don’t know, the Salafi jihadists.
(JNS)