I was reading this very interesting piece on the daily life in Gaza by David Rose, and a couple of quotes in the article struck me as especially interesting about Hamas. Here, they are:
“As darkness falls over the beach, students are holding impromptu parties by the phosphorescent Mediterranean. Above them, on the decks of the waterfront restaurants, men and women sit and talk far into the night, sucking on endlessnarguileh waterpipes. Most of the women are wearing headscarves – but strikingly, by no means all.”
“Hamas, one is invited to believe, is close to creating an authoritarian Islamic emirate that will require all women to wear burqas and govern through Sharia law. After spending a week in Gaza City and other parts of the Strip, however, all I can say is that I found little evidence for such a project.”
“Did Hamad and his colleagues intend to introduce Islamic Sharia law? He denied it, saying: ‘The people of Gaza are conservative, and most of them support the principles of Sharia anyway. They don’t need or want their state to be governed by it.’” (Quote is from Fathih Hamad, the Hamas interior minister)
Well said, Mr. Hamad…well said.
So, you see how much socially progressive Hamas is compared to the IRI? Unlike the IRI, Hamas has the decency to understand that Islamic Sharia law and a compulsory dress code should not be imposed on a society, even if a minority within the society (as is the case in Gaza) do not follow those laws. In that sense, Hamas is far more progressive than the IRI in legal and social matters. Perhaps the IRI can learn a thing or two from an organization that it funds and holds in such high regard.
Incidentally, I have noticed that the Lebanese Hezbollah follows the same model, i.e., no compulsory dress code, no stonings, no chopping off hands…perhaps the IRI can learn a thing or two from them also.
BTW, for all the flotilla chest beaters out there on Iranian.com (who have never set foot in Gaza and leach themselves comfortably to the “Western” societies that they hate so much), why don’t you put away your pretentious crocodile tears and listen to a real Gazan for a change to see what the real problem is with Gaza”
“‘To be sure, if you do have money, things have gotten easier,’ said another locally-based reporter. ‘I’ve travelled all over Europe and America. But until a few months ago, as a Gazan, I couldn’t get a permit to leave. The Israelis have no security issues with me, but I was stuck inside the Gaza Strip for almost three years. They can do with you what they want, and that’s what makes the blockade so unbearable – not the shortages, but the total restriction of people’s movement and opportunities.’”
Gaza doesn’t need any more flotillas by governments whose only intention is grand standing and propaganda. It needs freedom and dignity for its people so that they can leave the prsion that they are in and expand on their abilities. That means trade, economic grwoth, jobs, etc. So, stop it with this stupid “flotilla” propaganda already.
