The Hamas government has sparked anger from residents of Rafah today when police marched into a neighborhood of homes they say were illegally built on government land, evicted the residents and bulldozed the homes.
Some of the residents of the neighborhood claimed to have been assaulted by the police, and none have any idea where they will go, given that the Israeli blockade has made building material virtually impossible to come by.
The use of bulldozers against the Palestinian residents also conjures up bitter memories for many, as the Israeli government has often turned to bulldozing Palestinian homes in the occupied territories. Hamas was regularly a harsh critic of such bulldozings and it shocks many residents to see the Gaza government using the same tactics against them.
Some 40 homes were said to have been destroyed, and local officials promised some effort would be made to provide for the evicted Gazans. So far, however, most are sleeping outside and digging up whatever meager furniture they can salvage from their destroyed homes.
how do you know it was not Kosher Hamass doing the steam rolling operation ?
Thank you jojoos. A fine question. Any enquiring minds left out there to ponder upon it?
Their only hope is that some day the average citizens of Gaza will wake up and realize who their real enemy is. Hamas seized the homes of their own people without any compensation and without even allowing the residents to remove their belongings, much less providing any other shelter. The homeless won't be able to rebuild because of the embargo by Israel, but won't they notice that Hamas will have all the money and materials they need to build a 'house of virtue'.
The map seems to indicate that the town is practically in Egypt – why aren't their Arab brothers allowing goods to be transferred to these people? Jordan treats the people in the West Bank with the same disdain. When will these people stop allowing the rest of the Arab world to use them as scapegoats and tools of propaganda?
Not a particularly smart move, by Hamas, I must say…
You would think they would be a bit more restrained given that most of those homes were probably built after they had homes destroyed by the Israelis.
Hopefully, if the problem is where they've built these homes(on "government land"), they will find them homes- and soon…
Not surprising when one considers that Hamas is a creation of Israel, and more specifically Ariel Sharon, in order to counter the influence of the Arafat and the PLO. Creating one's enemies is nothing new…for example, Al Qaeda is a fictitious creation of the US and UK based on a database of Mujahadeen fighters supported by the CIA during USSR's invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980's. I repeat, Al Qaeda is pure fiction. Al-CIA-da is very real, however.
This article is biased. Nothing happens in Gaza in a vacum. It is a challenge
to appreciate the difficulty of governing the Strip under all the conditions imposed on it both political and physical. When Israel destroys the homes of Palestinians it is not to build them better or even alternative structures it is to punish and dehumanize them. In gaza the rubble will be used to build other housing which has almost ceased under the Israeli blockade and ban on building material. In addition, the palestinians who built and occupied those areas knew full well that it wasn't theirs to build on. Moreover, it was previously designated for a college which is not mentioned in the article. Some Fatah elements have been living in housing that does not belong to them or was allocated to fatah chronies at the expense of the rest of the population.
Thanks AWN. That was one informative reply. We can only hope that what emerges from the rubble is good to behold. The Israeli's will probably bomb it anyway, but rebuild and defy.
And with respect to Mr Chomsky, call the college something appropriate.
"In addition, the palestinians who built and occupied those areas knew full well that it wasn't theirs to build on."
Thats the same reason Israel bulldozes houses. I guess when Jews do it, its bad.
"In addition, the palestinians who built and occupied those areas knew full well that it wasn't theirs to build on."
Thats the same reason Israel bulldozes houses. I guess when Jews do it, its bad.
This article is biased. Nothing happens in Gaza in a vacum. It is a challenge
to appreciate the difficulty of governing the Strip under all the conditions imposed on it both political and physical. When Israel destroys the homes of Palestinians it is not to build them better or even alternative structures it is to punish and dehumanize them. In gaza the rubble will be used to build other housing which has almost ceased under the Israeli blockade and ban on building material. In addition, the palestinians who built and occupied those areas knew full well that it wasn't theirs to build on. Moreover, it was previously designated for a college which is not mentioned in the article. Some Fatah elements have been living in housing that does not belong to them or was allocated to fatah chronies at the expense of the rest of the population.