Gazan man says Hamas beat him for alleged affairs

Hamas continues to become more religiously radical and violent as they move closer to the fanaticism of the Taliban and al Qaeda.
FROM SILIVE.COM:

Gazan man says Hamas beat him for alleged affairs
5/12/2010, 2:11 p.m. EDT
DIAA HADID
The Associated Press        

(AP) — JERUSALEM - A Gaza art gallery owner said Wednesday that Hamas police repeatedly beat and abused him over allegations that he had had sexual relations with women who are not his wife, which is forbidden by Islamic law.

Gaza human rights activists say the rare admission by Jamal Abu Qumsan, who is unmarried, is the clearest evidence yet of a quiet but persistent Hamas morals crackdown in Gaza, as part of an attempt to implement strict Islamic law.

"They kept asking me as they beat me: 'who are the girls you sleep with?' I told them I'm not sleeping with anybody," Abu Qumsan told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

He said police interrogators beat him across his back, legs and buttocks in hours-long interrogations over three days last week. To back up his claims, Abu Qumsan e-mailed reporters a photo of his bruises.

Abu Qumsan, 43, said he was also accused of hosting exhibitions in his art cafe and gallery without government permits.

Hamas officials were not available for comment.

Human rights activists say that since the Islamic militant group seized power Gaza three years ago, Hamas security officials have interrogated, beaten and detained other residents for belonging to rival Palestinian groups. Hamas officials have often harassed men and women to publicly abide by Hamas' stern Islamic moral code, activists say.

However, this is the first time a Gaza resident has said publicly that he was interrogated over his sex life. Activists say other residents have been questioned in a similar manner, but they were too frightened to come forward.

"If I stay silent, I think they'll take somebody else tomorrow, and then a second person, and then a third, and it will go on and on," Abu Qumsan said.

Gazans stay away from Israeli clinic

Staffers at the new medical clinic set up at the Erez Crossing to treat sick and wounded Gazans are disappointed at the lack of patients.
Photo: MDA

Here's one more example of what makes Jews and Christians different, and better than Muslims. Only truly humane people can extend a helping hand to the families of terrorists and thugs who are trying to decimate Israel. I've never heard of an example of Muslims helping anyone, even fellow Muslims, Gaza being the most outrageous example. If the population of Gaza were Jews or Christians, Gaza would now be a thriving economy of free people, rather than a mass of misery and despair.

The people of Gaza are held captive not by Israel, but by fanatical Muslims whose only desire is the destruction of Israel.

FROM JPOST.COM:

Gazans stay away from Israeli clinic
By RUTH EGLASH

Medics at Israel's newly inaugurated border clinic expressed their frustration Tuesday at the lack of patients from Gaza coming to the facility, which is situated on the Strip's northern border, and was officially opened Sunday.
Staffers at the new medical clinic set up at the Erez Crossing to treat sick and wounded Gazans are disappointed at the lack of patients.

"I spent the whole day there [Monday] and not one person came to us for help," said one doctor, who preferred to remain anonymous. "The people there are scared, scared of us and scared of Hamas."
He continued: "The clinic is an amazing thing but I can't blame them for not wanting to come to us. It is just very frustrating."

A spokesman for Magen David Adom (MDA), which is operating the clinic in cooperation with the Welfare and Social Services Ministry and the Health Ministry said that so far only seven Palestinian children with cancer had arrived at the center for treatment. All had been released, he said.

Situated at the Erez terminal, the clinic is a humanitarian gesture by Israel following the 22-day operation in Gaza. Speaking at its inauguration on Sunday, government officials said that the clinic would accept all patients and that the more serious cases would be referred to Israeli hospitals.
According to Chezy Levy, the Health Ministry's deputy director-general for medical services, Palestinians seeking services will undergo a security check at the border but will otherwise be fast-tracked into the clinic.

Set up to treat about 50 patients, the clinic is designed to help Palestinians who are either wounded or ill, said Levy.
A mobile intensive care unit and four regular ambulances have been stationed at the Erez clinic by MDA.

The facility is staffed with emergency specialists, pediatricians, family physicians, gynecologists/obstetricians, trauma experts, surgeons, orthopedists, ophthalmologists, otolaryngologists and other experts.
Tony Laurance, acting head of the World Health Organization's office in Gaza and the West Bank, told The Jerusalem Post earlier this week that he doubted that Palestinians would be allowed by their leaders to access the clinic.

Judy Siegel and Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.

Gaza: The Untold Story

Here's an in-depth look at the current situation in Gaza.

FROM FRONTPAGEMAG.COM:

Gaza: The Untold Story
By Jamie Glazov
FrontPageMagazine.com | Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Jonathan Schanzer, deputy director of the Jewish Policy Center. He has served as a counterterrorism analyst at the U.S. Department of Treasury and as a research fellow at Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is the author of the new book, Hamas vs. Fatah: The Struggle For Palestine. Daniel Pipes wrote the foreword to the book and some of the research was undertaken at Pipes' Middle East Forum.


FP: Jonathan Schanzer, welcome to Frontpage Interview.

Schanzer: Thanks, Jamie.

FP: You are an expert on Hamas and Fatah. What were Hamas’s calculations in it its rocket attacks?

Schanzer: First, it is important to stress that these rocket volleys are not at all new. Hamas has been firing rockets consistently at Israel for many years now – since 2001. Even during the recent ceasefire, or “lull” as some call it, Hamas fired salvo after salvo of rockets against Israel.
From a targeting perspective, as I note in my book, Hamas really has no calculations. Qassam rockets are very crude homemade weapons. They are virtually impossible to fire with any accuracy. Hamas simply aims them in the direction of Israeli civilian populations and then hopes that they cause damage or casualties.

In terms of a broader strategy, Hamas fires these rockets because its financial patron, Iran, encourages the group to do so. In fact, I would venture to say that Hamas would not have broken the ceasefire had it not gotten permission from the Mullahs to do so.

On a grassroots level, Hamas gains popularity by carrying out violence against the Jewish state. In other words, causing Israeli bloodshed strengthens Hamas’s political standing on the Palestinian street, where the majority puts a premium on anti-Israel violence.

FP: So if the majority of Palestinians in Gaza support Hamas’s vision of destroying Israel, which is reflected in the fact that the Palestinians elected these radical Islamists to power in 2006, how exactly can the world not blame the Palestinians for what we now see unfolding? Expand for us a bit on Palestinians’ support for violence against Jews and how any peace can even be possible if that kind of hate is not dealt with and denounced.

Schanzer: You get to the crux of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict here. The conflict exists because most Palestinians still seek the destruction of the State of Israel. This is why Hamas, an organization that is known primarily for its suicide bombings and rocket attacks against Israel, won the popular vote in the free and fair legislative elections of 2006. Suicide attacks and rocketing get wide approval ratings in the Palestinian territories. This is, to some extent, why Hamas and other groups continue to employ these violent tactics. The decision to support murder and bloodshed is now backfiring horribly on the Palestinian people.

FP: Did Hamas hope for this Israeli response?
READ IT ALL:

'Jews cannot be trusted'

Prayer through superior firepower

Ah yes, the hudna, the truce, the opportunity to re-arm, re-supply and plan for the next attack.

FROM YNETNEWS.COM:

'Jews cannot be trusted'
Gaza source: Militants to use lull for Islam workshops, expect Israel to violate truce
Ali Waked

Palestinian gunmen in Gaza are holding their fire, but they have no illusion as to Israel's intention to violate the latest truce, a source in one of the Palestinian groups in the Strip told Ynet Friday.

"The fighters have gone back to their homes, to their studies, and to their families, yet their eyes shall remain open for the moment where the Israelis will decide, as always, to violate the lull," he said. "We have no illusion that once their interests dictate it, the Jews will violate the lull. They are known as people who violate agreements and cannot be trusted."

Gaza Strip

Hamas says smuggling to go on despite Gaza truce / Reuters
Despite truce deal, Haniyeh says putting an end to smuggling beyond Hamas' ability

According to the source, members of the various Gaza groups will attempt to enjoy a normal life in the coming days, but will also take the opportunity to take part in religion workshops, (where they will be exorted to die for Allah by the imams-ed.) which he said will help them on the battlefield as well.

"This is the way to explain to the fighter how to conduct himself on the battlefield, how and when to pray while on mission, whether one is allowed to pray when holding a gun…we teach those things so that under any condition the fighters will be able to maintain their religion and prayer, yet at the same time be ready to confront the enemy," he said.


As opposed to lower-ranking field operatives, senior wanted figures will have to remain on guard despite the truce, the source said.

"They have to adopt all precautions at this time as well, because the collaborators and the enemy's eyes will continue to work during the lull too," he said. "A lull does not mean the occupation is over or that the enemy changed its treacherous nature…therefore, training sessions won't end and we shall continue to train and arm ourselves as usual."

Hamas disrupts fuel supplies to Gaza

More barbaric and cynical manipulation of hundreds of thousands of fellow Muslims by Hamas. Hamas and the PA both use their civilian populations to maintain power and keep the money flowing from Israel and idiotic Western governments.

FROM THE JERUSALEM POST:

Hamas disrupts fuel supplies to Gaza

Hamas militiamen in the Gaza Strip on Sunday attacked fuel trucks headed toward the Nahal Oz border crossing, forcing them to turn back, sources in the Palestinian Petroleum Authority said.
The fuel was supposed to go to the UN Relief and Works Agency [UNRWA] and hospitals in the Gaza Strip, the sources said.
"Dozens of Hamas militiamen hurled stones and opened fire at the trucks," the sources added. "The trucks were on their way to receive fuel supplied by Israel. The drivers were forced to turn back. Some of them had their windshields smashed."
The Palestinian Petroleum Authority reached an agreement with Israel over the weekend to receive 250,000 liters of fuel after UNRWA complained that it did not have enough fuel to distribute food aid to more than 500,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry also accused Hamas of blocking fuel supplies to hospitals and clinics in the Gaza Strip. The ministry said Hamas gunmen opened fire at a number of trucks that were trying to transfer fuel to the hospitals and clinics.
Eyewitnesses in Gaza City said that at least on four occasions over the past few weeks, Hamas militiamen confiscated trucks loaded with fuel shortly as they were on their way from Nahal Oz to the city.
They added that the fuel supplies were taken to Hamas-controlled security installations throughout the city.
"Hamas is taking the fuel for it the vehicles of is leaders and security forces," the eyewitnesses said. "Because of Hamas's actions, some hospitals have been forced to stop the work of ambulances and generators."
PA officials in Ramallah said Hamas's measures were aimed at creating a crisis in the Gaza Strip with the hope that the international community would intervene and force Israel to reopen the border crossings.
"As far as we know, there is enough fuel reaching the Gaza Strip," the officials said. "But Hamas's measures are aimed at creating a crisis. Hamas is either stealing or blocking most of the fuel supplies."
They pointed out that last week Hamas dispatched hundreds of its supporters to Nahal Oz to block the fuel supplies from Israel. Hamas claimed that the protest was organized by farmers and fishermen demanding an end to the blockade on the Gaza Strip.
The officials also noted that the shortage in fuel supplies has created a high-priced black market for individuals and institutions.
UNRWA workers admitted over the weekend that Hamas had prevented some fuel trucks from entering the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has also been exerting pressure on the Gaza Petrol Station Owners Association to close down their businesses so as to aggravate the crisis. Some of the station owners and workers said they were afraid to return to work after receiving death threats from Hamas militiamen and ordinary residents desperate to purchase gas and diesel for their vehicles.

Fresh Gaza security fence breach

Raw Video: Soldiers try to seal Gaza border

More action at the Gaza Egyptian border. It looks like Egypt is starting to close the breeches in the fence. Egyptian police are using water cannon and dogs to try to close the border.
FROM ITN.CO.UK:
Militants have bulldozed more of the concrete wall separating Egypt from the Gaza Strip as attempts are made to close an earlier breach.
Crowds cheered as Hamas militants flattened sections of the concrete fence in the southern Gaza town of Rafah while Egyptian riot police watched as hundreds more people poured into their country.
The area has now been turned into a giant open-air market, selling everything from goats to full size refrigerators
Earlier this week, militants blew up part of the concrete wall which resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinians, who struggle to survive in the Strip, rushing into the Egyptian part of the town to stock up on food, medicine and clothing.
The area has now been turned into a giant open-air market, selling everything from goats to full size refrigerators.
Local resident Saeed al-Helo said: "I bought a motorcycle, cigarettes, biscuits, corn chips, cheese and a small generator. I think they can close the border now. I think Gaza has enough food supplies for a month."
Pressed by the United States and Israel to take control of the situation, Egyptian riot police have lined the border and placed barbed wire and chain-link fences to prevent more Gazans from entering Egyptian soil.
Using loudspeakers, Egyptian security forces warned the border would close at 1pm UK time but a security source said orders had yet to be given to fully seal the area.
But on Friday, some Palestinians in the crowd threw stones at Egyptian police, who responded with batons and water cannon. One of the protesters, Mohammed al-Masri said: "I have two brothers still inside Egypt. They should not close the border until everyone returns."
Elsewhere, Palestinians buried four militants who were killed in two Israeli airstrikes on vehicles in the southern Gaza Strip overnight.

Deadly clash at Arafat Gaza rally

Ah yes, another example of "Arab unity" in action. I think the enmity between various Muslim factions is a great weakness that needs to be exploited by the West. The West also needs to step back ant take a hands off approach when rifts appear between Muslim sects, and so allow them to weaken each other. Divide and conquer must be employed against the Jihadi.
FROM BBC.CO.UK:
Deadly clash at Arafat Gaza rally
At least six people have been killed in gunfire at a rally organised by Fatah in the Gaza Strip to mark three years since the death of Yasser Arafat.
Security forces from the rival Hamas movement opened fire at crowds, causing people to run for cover, reports say.
It was the biggest rally held by the late president's party since it was ousted from Gaza by Hamas in June after a series of bloody clashes.
The iconic Palestinian leader died in Paris on 11 November 2004.
Since his death Palestinian politics has been riven by splits, the most violent between the secular nationalist Fatah party and the radical Islamist group Hamas.
Taunting
Hundreds of thousands of Fatah supporters, carrying pictures of Arafat and waving yellow Fatah flags had gathered in a large square in the centre of Gaza City.
Hamas security officials said they fired toward protesters who threw stones at security compounds.
Witnesses said the first shots were fired after crowds started accusing Hamas security forces of being a proxy for Shia Muslim-ruled Iran.
About 100 people were reported to have been wounded in the violence.
Hamas has banned opposition rallies since its takeover of Gaza, and its security personnel were out in force at the edge of Monday's massive gathering.
Correspondents say any move to prevent a ceremony commemorating Mr Arafat - whose following still crosses factional divisions - would have been widely unpopular in Gaza.