The collapse of the regime of Hosni Mubarak and the success of the Egyptian revolution have changed the face of the Middle East. The Egyptian revolution (inspired by the Tunisian revolution) ignited yet other revolutions in the region: in Libya, Yemen, and Syria. The Palestinians, especially in Gaza have been very enthusiastic and supportive of the Egyptian revolution and the "Arab Spring." How the Egyptian revolution can help the Palestinians, and in what manner, is the daily concern of most people in Gaza.
The Gaza Strip has been under tight Israeli siege and blockade for more than four years now, and the Mubarak regime was accused by Hamas of taking part in this. But Israel’s commando attack on the Freedom Flotilla on May 31, 2010 brought the suffering of more than 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza to the attention of the international community. As a result, Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah border crossing for humanitarian cases. Still, only the removal of Mubarak paved the way for speedy Palestinian access through Rafah.
The relationship between the Hamas government in Gaza and the new regime in Egypt has never been better. Hamas classifies the government in Egypt as a friendly one, and contacts between both governments take place on all levels. Security chiefs from Hamas and Egypt meet on a regular basis to deal with security breaches in Sinai, tunnel smuggling, human trafficking, etc. There are rumors in Gaza that Hamas agreed to close some of the tunnels operating between Egypt and Gaza, and only keep the "necessary" ones.
The recent attack on the Israeli embassy in Cairo and the subsequent departure of the Israeli ambassador and others with their families could not have been better for Hamas. This coincided with the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Ankara, leaving Hamas feeling on the top of the world, with Israel isolated regionally and internationally. Hamas applauded the departure of the ambassador from Cairo as a step in the right direction — one that enables Egypt to regain its regional role and counter Israeli arrogance.
Tzipi Livni, leader of the opposition Kadima party, sharply criticized the government of Binyamin Netanyahu, accusing it of leading Israel into the "worst possible diplomatic situation." Livni added that, while the Netanyahu government speaks of national pride, Israeli ambassadors are being forced to flee countries in the middle of the night disguised in kaffiyehs, a traditional Arab headdress.
At the beginning, the Egyptian revolution was against corruption, poverty, and unemployment, and foreign issues were not part of the revolution agenda. Protesters at Tahrir Square were against the Mubarak regime, but the slowdown in improvements in the daily life of Egyptians and the Israeli killing of six Egyptian soldiers on the borders between Egypt and Israel in mid-August awakened the nationalism of the protesters, who thus directed their anger at a symbol of this arrogance, the Israeli embassy.
Some reports indicate that the attack on the Israeli embassy was carried out by anti-revolutionary forces. Others are convinced that Israeli humiliation of the Palestinian people, ongoing settlement expansion and the stalemate in the peace process were the driving force behind Egyptian hatred against Israel. Israel is perceived in Egypt and across the Middle East as a country above the law. The frustration and despair of the poor masses can no longer be ignored in this region.
Public opinion polls in Egypt indicate that if elections were held today in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood — of which Hamas is a branch — would obtain between 30 and 35 percent of Egyptian votes. Parliamentary elections will probably serve political Islam more than any other political movement in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood has more political experience and is a well-organized and disciplined organization. Its chance of winning a plurality of seats in the Egyptian parliament will enable it to review peace relations with Israel. It is likely that if the Israeli ambassador is not back in Cairo before the Egyptian parliamentary elections, he may never go back.
The political upheavals in the Middle East have strengthened political Islam all over the region. Hamas is convinced that the Israeli humiliation of the Palestinian people will no longer be tolerated and Israel’s siege and blockade of Gaza will be defeated. Hamas is also certain that Israeli arrogance has reached its downfall and the future belongs to Islam and the people of the region.
The future relationship between Hamas and the Egyptian revolution remains to be seen. But it is quite clear that continuing Israeli occupation and humiliation of Palestinians and the perpetuation of the siege and blockade policy against Gaza will strengthen the bond between the Palestinians and the Egyptians, who fought four wars with Israel. The stability of the Middle East requires a just and a comprehensive peace for the Arab-Israel conflict.
Mkhaimar Abusada is a professor of political science at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. This commentary is published by Daily News Egypt in collaboration with bitterlemons-international.org
