The Gaza theater

The theater that is Gaza is a dramatic backdrop to two sets of clashes being
played out, one that will be seen in its actuality, and the other that is
being stage managed to avoid scrutiny.
The trauma of the disengagement of Israelis from the Gaza strip settlements
is taking place under the scrutiny of the world's media. This includes
those moving out independently before the deadline of Aug 15, and the 30% or
so of Gaza residents who are expected to stay put until removed by the IDF
after that date. If they are not out by Aug 17 the IDF, security forces and
police will remove them forcefully. This includes the estimated 2,700 young
activists who are camped in some settlements as a deliberate provocation to
oppose the withdrawal. They could result in some potentially violent
clashes.
In the Gaza strip itself, the clashes between the PA security forces and the
Fatah, Hamas and other groups of thugs and gunmen are being carefully stage
managed. The Palestinian journalists association under the PA authority has
declared that any Palestinian journalist who reports on these clashes is
opposing the interests of the PA and of the Palestinian people. Other
journalists will fall in line, since not to do so invites retaliation.
Last Monday a gang of gunmen kidnapped three Red Cross workers, a Briton, a
Swiss and a Palestinian aide, in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. In order to
rescue them the PA security forces under Mohammed Dahlan surrounded their
location and fired on them. The hostages were rescued during the firefight.
As a result of this action the International Committee of the Red Cross
closed its offices/clinics in southern Gaza and suspended all activities
throughout Gaza. Remember that the so-called refugees depend on the Red
Cross for food handouts and health support. The gunmen are thought to be
from the PLO faction that supports the exiled Farrouk Kadoumi, who is the
so-called Foreign Minister of the PLO and is an opponent of Pres. Abbas.
This clash occurred after PA security forces arrested Suleiman al-Fara, a
leader of the Fatah al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades and the director of Kadoumi's
office in Gaza.
In other moves the PA has set up two liaison offices in Gaza, one with the
IDF to coordinate the disengagement, and one with Hamas to try to prevent
clashes between PA and Hamas forces. The cooperation with the IDF is
intended to allow PA forces to smoothly take over settlements that are
vacated, but at the same time preventing Hamas from taking them over. In
order to prevent Hamas bringing people in the PA has rented all available
buses in Gaza. Hamas has said that it will not be responsible for a civil
war in Gaza, but Islamic Jihad, funded by Iran, has announced that while it
will refrain from military (i.e. terrorist) activities in Gaza during the
pullout, it will soon resume its activities in the West Bank and within
Israel itself.
PA Pres. Abbas has gone on Gaza TV calling for calm during the Israeli
disengagement and asking that "the withdrawal be allowed to take place in a
civilized manner." But, he is in no position to ensure this. If there is
any Palestinian terrorist attack during the period of the disengagement, the
IDF is poised to counter-attack in force. In summary, Gaza is a swamp from
which it is good that the Israelis are leaving.