JJullyy 5,, 20077 Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC) Egypt condemns the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip, expresses p s its unequivocal support of the e Palestinian emergency government, and campaigns to strengthen Abu Mazen. The Egyptian government is s deeply concerned over the establishment of a radical c Hamascontrolled Islamic emirate supported by Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood. t The IIslamiic l emiiratte 11 iin tthe Gaza a Sttriip as s a tthreatt a tto Egyptt 1. The Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip has raised deep, genuine concerns among the Egyptian leadership concerns caused by the establishment of a radical Islamic emirate along Egypt s eastern border. It has attributes of a sovereign state and is home to about 1.4 million Palestinians, living in poverty and with no economic infrastructure. The Islamic emirate is ruled by Hamas, being the Palestinian offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organization opposed to the Egyptian government. The newly-emerged political entity also maintains close contacts with Iran, a Shi ite country ruled by a radical Islamic regime. The 1 Islamic emirate is a negative term for the entity established by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It was mentioned by the Egyptian press and in statements made by Abu Mazen and his supporters. A separate Information Bulletin dealing with this subject will be published soon.
establishment of such an Islamic emirate shows once again that radical Islam rather than the Arab-Israeli conflict, as often claimed by Arab propaganda is responsible for instability in the Middle East. 2. In the Egyptians view, this Islamic emirate clearly poses a potential threat that could endanger not only Israel but also the Egyptian government due to Hamas s ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and the proximity of the Gaza Strip to those Bedouins in Sinai affiliated to global jihadists. This emirate borders Egypt though not other Arab countries; it is therefore Egypt that serves as its gateway to the Arab and Muslim world. This basic fact, coupled with the Egyptian commitment to the Palestinian problem, could lay at Egypt s doorstep the responsibility for the happenings inside this problematic emirate both within the context of the confrontation with Israel and in the socio-economic context of dealing with severe humanitarian problems. Egypttiian a polliicy ffollllowiing g tthe Hamas a ttakeover off tthe Gaza Sttriip 3. Egypt was therefore quick to publicly and resolutely take Abu Mazen s side immediately following the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip. After the establishment of the Palestinian emergency government hence the emergence of two Palestinian governments, both claiming legitimacy Egypt released an official statement supporting Abu Mazen and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. It also condemned the Hamas movement for its takeover of the Gaza Strip and the disbandment of the legal institutions of the Palestinian Authority. The Egyptian statement called upon the Palestinian organizations to unite behind the PLO leadership (the source of Abu Mazen s authority), which, according to the statement, is the legitimate leadership. 4. At the same time, the Egyptian government launched a media campaign to condemn the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip and indicate the dangers inherent in the situation to Egypt s national security. Thus, 2
the government enlisted the official press, government-affiliated intellectuals, and its representatives in the People s Assembly, the Egyptian parliament (see Appendix). Even President Mubarak himself joined the media campaign against Hamas, supporting Abu Mazen and calling the Hamas takeover a coup against the legal Palestinian leadership which causes severe damage to the Palestinian people (Al-Gomhuria, Al-Wafd, June 24). 2 5. Furthermore, immediately after the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip, Egypt took several practical diplomatic measures: a. On June 19, the Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit signed a decree ordering the transfer of the Egyptian diplomatic mission in the Palestinian Authority from Gaza City to Ramallah (in the West Bank), reflecting Egypt s recognition that Ramallah is the seat of the legitimate Palestinian leadership. b. Egypt recalled its security delegation which was also permanently stationed in the Gaza Strip and which, in the past several months, unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate between Hamas and Fatah. It should be noted that the delegation s headquarters was attacked in the clashes between Hamas on one hand, and Fatah and the security apparatuses supporting it on the other. 6. Another matter at issue between Egypt and Hamas in the Gaza Strip is the daily regular operation of the Rafah Crossing, the Gaza Strip s residents lifeline to Egypt and the Arab/Muslim world. During the clashes that took place in the Gaza Strip, the Rafah Crossing was closed down by the Palestinians and Egyptians, after being abandoned by the Palestinian presidential guard and the European monitors stationed there. The Egyptians are keeping the crossing closed for the time being, for a host of problems 2 Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri responded to Mubarak s statement by saying that Hamas placed considerable importance on maintaining close ties between the Palestinian people and Egypt, and that it would not allow these or other statements damage those ties. According to Abu Zuhri, Hamas was very offended by Mubarak s statement, being an explicit, blatant intervention showing bias towards one Palestinian side over another (BBC Radio, June 24). 3
need to be solved before it can be reopened. 3 The Egyptians are also closely following the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. According to well-informed Egyptian sources, Egypt currently holds intensive contacts with Israel to make sure that the Gaza Strip does not plunge into a humanitarian crisis and receives gas, water, electricity, food, and medical supplies (Al-Masry al-youm, June 19). 7. The Sharm el-sheikh summit (June 25) is perceived by the Egyptians as a political move meant to empower Abu Mazen and revitalize the political process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Within that context, a reliable Egyptian source noted that Arab countries were expected to come together, strengthening Abu Mazen s legitimacy and refusing to cooperate with an independent Hamas-led country in the Gaza Strip. The same source indicated that such Arab policy would result in the regional isolation of Hamas (Al-Hayat, June 22). 3 The Rafah Crossing is currently operated within the context of the Crossings Agreement, requiring coordination between Israel, Palestinian Authority representatives, and the Europeans. Now, with Hamas controlling the Gaza Strip, it is not yet clear how such coordination will take place, if at all. 4
Appendix A sellecttiion off arttiiclles ffrom tthe Egypttiian press regardiing tthe iimplliicattiions off tthe Hamas ttakeover off tthe Gaza Sttriip All--Ahram ((offffiiciiall newspaper)) 1. The main points of an article by Makram Muhammad Ahmad (Al- Ahram, June 24): a. The author of the article predicts that Hamas will have difficulties running the Gaza Strip, whatever amount of money it receives from Iran and other countries. Hamas will have to face the problem of 1.5 million Palestinians besieged by Israel and will find itself a captive of the latter. b. Hamas is accused of rushing headlong into a confrontation with Egypt, raising impudent slogans that deny the sacrifices made by the Egyptians for Palestine, even though Egypt had no complexes in dealing with Hamas and considered it to be an important faction of the resistance (i.e., terrorist organizations) rather than just a Palestinian offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. c. Egypt is not concerned over Hamas s establishing a religious country along its eastern border, since Egypt is not an infidel country that fears the introduction of Islam. On the contrary, Egypt is the source of the right Islam in our day and age. What Egypt fears is Hamas becoming a force of chaos and destruction that exports violence to Egypt, among other places, while holding 1.5 million Palestinians hostage and using them for blackmail. At the same time, Hamas sides with Iran and, driven by its lust for power, causes severe damage to the interests of the Palestinian people. 5
2. The main points of an article by Tareq Hassan (Al-Ahram, June 23): a. The claims raised by the Muslim Brotherhood at a People s Assembly convention (June 21) shows that it has a lot in common with Hamas. Like Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood does not recognize the legitimacy of the parliament that signed the peace treaty with Israel or the legitimacy of the country that signed that treaty. Here in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood parades its masked militia in Al-Azhar University; there, in Gaza, Hamas does the same. Here they [i.e., the Muslim Brotherhood] changed the Egyptian flag by removing the eagle symbolizing the republic; there they [i.e., Hamas] took down the Palestinian flag and hoisted the flag of Hamas. So what are we waiting for? b. The Egyptian government allowed the Muslim Brotherhood to take part in the elections without recognizing the legitimacy of the Egyptian regime and without respecting Egypt s laws and constitution. Hamas took advantage of the elections and democracy and then had its armed militias mount a coup against everybody All--Akhbar ((offffiiciiall newspaper)) 3. Editor-in-chief Muhammad Barakat wrote that Hamas s moves against the legitimate government and the acts of murder it perpetrated were in fact Israel s dream come true, since Israel was interested in cutting off the Gaza Strip from the West Bank in order to put an end to the Palestinian issue. According to Barakat, the recent events were a tremendous blow to the image of the Palestinian people. Muhammad Barakat warned that the Hamas presence in Egypt s vicinity posed a threat to the Palestinian and the Egyptian national security (Al-Akhbar, June 20). 6
Roz all-yousseff - ((semii--offffiiciiall newspaper)) 4. Karam Jaber, the chairman of the board of Roz al-youssef, writes that the Gaza Strip is now controlled by Hamas, supported by the Al-Qaeda organization and all the radical factions in the Middle East. Most troubling, he maintains, is the fact that the Gaza Strip is situated along the Egyptian border, an area occasionally plagued by waves of dissent and incitement by certain Bedouin elements. Abdallah Kamal, the editor-in-chief of Roz al- Youssef, warned that there now exists a full-fledged Taliban state along the Egyptian border (Al-Quds al-arabi, June 19, citing the two articles in Roz al- Youssef). All--Gomhuriia r ((offffiiciiall newspaper)) w 5. Editor-in-chief Muhammad Ali Ibrahim published an article (June 19) titled: An Islamic emirate on our border: the Muslim Brotherhood is happy about the victory achieved by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and not over Israel! The article asserts that if Hamas controls Palestine and establishes a Palestinian emirate, it will be a disaster for the Palestinians and for Egypt. According to the article, Hamas s tactics in the Gaza Strip are testimony to the desire of all Islamic factions in the world, including Egypt s Muslim Brotherhood, to establish an Islamic emirate on the ruins of a country any country. 6. Lutfi Nassef, in an article titled Fatah and Hamas realize Greater Israel, complains that Israel is now satisfied as it sees its dream of eliminating the Palestinians realized by Fatah and Hamas. According to Nassef, the Palestinian and Arab dream of the liberation of Palestine was shattered by Fatah and Hamas, which decided to destroy themselves by their own hands. The author of the article warns that the loss of Palestine will be the loss of the entire Arab nation, and the Arab hope will be lost forever (Al-Gohmuria, June 23). 7
All--Masry all--youm (offffiiciiall opposiittiion)) 7. Magdi Muhanna writes that Egypt will not allow the establishment of a Hamas-controlled Islamic country or emirate on its border, due to Hamas s close association with Iran and with Egypt s Muslim Brotherhood movement. Muhanna claims that the Egyptian position is identical to that of the US and Israel, striving to eliminate Hamas or curb its influence, following the fatal mistake made by Hamas (Al-Masry al-youm, June 24). 8. Hassan Nafaa, a lecturer on political science, writes the following: a. The true purpose of the Sharm el-sheikh summit is reinforcing Abu Mazen s status as the one true legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. The Egyptian decision to relocate the Egyptian ambassador from Gaza City to Ramallah, showing complete support of Fatah over Hamas, is a violation of one of the most fundamental principles of Egyptian policy. Egypt has always viewed the Palestinian issue as a matter of Egyptian national security, has always taken great care regarding the Palestinian factions and supported the legitimate leadership, whatever ideology the faction elected by the Palestinian people may hold. The change in Egypt s policy stems from concerns and considerations associated with Egypt s internal policy. b. At a workshop held by the Egyptian Committee of Foreign Affairs on June 19, some key members of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) described the spread of [Islamic] fundamentalism as the main threat posed to Egypt s national security. One of them announced that Egypt will not allow the establishment of a religious country on its eastern border, a view greatly reflecting Egypt s policy (Al-Masry al-youm, June 24). 8
Miiddlle Eastt News Agency ((June 211)) 9. Mustafa al-fiqi, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Egyptian People s Assembly, released a statement expressing concern and sorrow over the deterioration on the Palestinian scene. The statement included the following: a. In their desire for power and personal glory, some elements in the Hamas movement have forgotten and are attempting to forget the roots of the Palestinian problem They can t tell friend from foe, and they don t know who they re shooting at b. The acts of murder, kidnapping, and taking over institutions constitute a bloody coup against the legal authority represented by the presidency of the Palestinian Authority. The warring sides have given a precious gift to Israel. Striving to establish a Palestinian homeland has become an internal struggle for control, causing damage to the image of the Palestinian people worldwide. c. The statement ends by calling upon the traitors and crooks supporting Hamas ( the rebellious group ) everywhere across the globe to put their cards on the table and remove their masks so that they can be put on trial by all the peoples. 10. The Egyptian media reported that the People s Assembly had held a meeting about the fighting between Hamas and Fatah. Deputies representing the majority blamed Hamas for the Palestinian bloodshed, while deputies representing the Muslim Brotherhood refused to blame just one side for the conflict between the two sides (Al-Ahram, June 23). It was reported that a heated argument erupted during the session when Mustafa al-fiqi, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, described Hamas as rebels and religion peddlers. His speech was interrupted by screams of Muslim Brotherhood deputies, but finally he managed to complete it (Al-Wafd, June 22). 9
Ma an News Agency ffrom Caiiro 11. An Egyptian diplomatic source revealed that Omar Suleiman, the Egyptian Chief of General Intelligence, was appalled by the reports he had received from the Egyptian security delegation headed by Burhan Hammad, which recently returned to Cairo. 12. The Egyptian security delegation accused Hamas of derailing the attempts to overcome the crisis, as it constantly avoided holding meetings with Fatah. Members of Hamas were also accused of opening fire on a popular procession held following Burhan Hammad s call to stop the killing in the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, Izz al-din al-qassam Brigades operatives broke into Burhan Hammad s house and fired inside. Hammad announced that some of Hamas s senior political and military leaders, headed by Mahmoud al-zahar, Sa id Siyam and Ahmad al-ja bari, instructed Hamas operatives to kill members of the Palestinian Authority security apparatuses and Fatah operatives. 10