New Hamas chief makes first public appearance

Published May 9, 2017
Gaza City: Ismail Haniya, the newly elected Hamas chief, flashes the V-sign after attending a rally on Monday in support of Palestinian hunger-striking prisoners in Israeli jails.—AFP
Gaza City: Ismail Haniya, the newly elected Hamas chief, flashes the V-sign after attending a rally on Monday in support of Palestinian hunger-striking prisoners in Israeli jails.—AFP

GAZA CITY: The new leader of Hamas made his first public appearance in the new role on Monday, visiting a solidarity tent in his native Gaza for hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Ismail Haniyeh replaced Qatar-based Khaled Mashaal in the Palestinian group’s top position, as head of the political bureau. His win in secret internal elections was announced on Saturday.

Haniyeh’s rise was the latest sign of a power shift in the Islamic militant Hamas from the diaspora to Gaza, which has been under Hamas rule since a 2007 takeover.

This shift comes at a time of growing financial pressure on the territory by Hamas’ main rival, Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who in recent weeks has been trying to force the group to cede ground in Gaza.

Haniyeh, a former Hamas prime minister in Gaza, could be hampered in his new leadership role by movement restrictions. Israel and Egypt imposed a border blockade on Gaza after the Hamas takeover a decade ago, keeping the territory’s borders sealed most of the time. Hamas leaders have been able to travel abroad from time to time, but only with Egyptian coordination.

For his first appearance as Hamas leader, Haniyeh chose a symbol of elusive Palestinian unity a solidarity tent where several political factions are represented, including Hamas and Abbas’ Fatah movement. The hunger strike of close to 900 Palestinian prisoners, who demand better conditions from Israel, reached its 22nd day on Monday.

“It’s my honor to shoulder the responsibility of leading the political bureau of this large movement of holy resistance,” Haniyeh said after arriving at the tent in downtown Gaza City. He said that the fate of the prisoners remains a top priority for Hamas.

Haniyeh arrived at the tent in a white SUV, accompanied by bodyguards. Local officials and security chiefs lined up to greet him.

Haniyeh, who also served as Mashaal’s deputy for four years, is a familiar figure in Gaza, a tiny sliver of land on the Mediterranean with 2 million people. He was born in the Shati refugee camp on the outskirts of Gaza City, where he still lives in a heavily guarded compound.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2017

Opinion

Who bears the cost?

Who bears the cost?

This small window of low inflation should compel a rethink of how the authorities and employers understand the average household’s

Editorial

Internet restrictions
Updated 23 Dec, 2024

Internet restrictions

Notion that Pakistan enjoys unprecedented freedom of expression difficult to reconcile with the reality of restrictions.
Bangladesh reset
23 Dec, 2024

Bangladesh reset

THE vibes were positive during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meeting with Bangladesh interim leader Dr...
Leaving home
23 Dec, 2024

Leaving home

FROM asylum seekers to economic migrants, the continuing exodus from Pakistan shows mass disillusionment with the...
Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...