Co-Editor Noura Erakat Discusses Hamas-Fatah Unity on i24NEWS English

Co-Editor Noura Erakat Discusses Hamas-Fatah Unity on i24NEWS English

By : Jadaliyya Interview

On 17 October 2017, Israel announced plans to build more than three-thousand new settlement units throughout the West Bank, including in Hebron as well as the establishment of a new settlement to accommodate the settlers evacuated from the Amona outpost in February 2017. This past week also marked the establishment of a unity government between Fatah and Hamas brokered by Egypt. In this segment, Jadaliyya Co-Editor Noura Erakat joins I24 to discuss these latest developments. In response to the correspondent’s suggestion that Israel is building settlements in the West Bank to protect itself from Hamas, Noura explains, “That makes absolutely zero sense. Settlements endanger the lives of the settlers themselves and is actually a violation of international law because you cannot use civilians as human shields.” 

See video here: vimeo.com/238787181

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      بتاريخ 11 أيار/مايو 2022 أطلق قنّاص النار على الصحافية الفلسطينية المخضرمة، شيرين أبو عاقلة، والتي كانت تؤدي مهمة صحفية في جنين صباحاً. وبحسب عدد من شهود العيان الفلسطينيين، فإن تحقيقاً أجرته منظمة "بتسيلم" الإسرائيلية لحقوق الإنسان، يوضح أن المهاجم كان ضابط أمن إسرائيلي. على الرغم من هذه الأدلة والافتراض العنصري بأنه كان من الممكن أن تكون الجريمة نتيجة نيران فلسطينية، أطلقت إسرائيل حملة علاقات عامة لزرع الشك والارتباك في محاولة للتضليل وإعفاء إسرائيل من المساءلة. في هذه المقابلة، استُضيفت نورا عريقات، محررة جدلية، لدى شبكة "سي بي أس" الإخبارية لمناقشة موضوع التحقيق في مقتل أبو عاقلة، يوم الإثنين 16 أيار/مايو 2022، قبل أيام من ظهور مقطع فيديو آخر يؤكد عدم وجود نيران فلسطينية على الإطلاق وقبل إعلان إسرائيل أنها لن تبدأ تحقيقاً لتجنب المزيد من الجدل.

Egypt's Response To The Israeli Assault On Gaza: An Interview With Hossam El-Hamalawy

In this interview (video below), I discuss with Hossam El-Hamalawy al-Sisi`s government response to the Israeli assault on Gaza as a function of local Egyptian politics and the bold shift in the discourse on Palestine, Hamas specifically. He starts by addressing how al-Sisi continues to play the role that former President Mubarak did on Palestine, except “on steroids.” Whatever little Mubarak did to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, al-Sisi exceeded. Hossam refers to the cynical Gaza border closure by Egypt during the most critical times. Even at the most extenuating and catastrophic times, such as the current assault on Gaza, no considerations or exceptions are made.

Hossam also addresses the widespread and unprecedented demonization of Palestinians, particularly Hamas, in the mostly government-controlled or pro-Sisi media. But he reminds listeners that this despite this, support for the Palestinian cause is still widespread in Egypt, of which the Egyptian government is aware. This coincides with the derailment of the revolution in Egypt and the ascendance of military fascism and the activation of what some call “electronic committees” that disseminate government propaganda and spam through social media. 

In response to the question of calling Hamas a terrorist organization, Hossam asserts that this has always been the case in relation to Palestinian resistance, and goes back to the launching of the militant revolution among Palestinian factions in 1965. It continued and persists through the reign of all presidents in Egypt, but has reached new heights under Sisi. He expands on this, and specifies both media outlets and personalities in the interview. 

Hossam concludes with some prognosis about where this demonization might be going in light of the gradual and sometimes fast decline of the euphoria, or hysteria, that surrounded the coming of Sisi to power. He also addresses local factors in Egypt that have precipitated this decline and its attendant disappointment on the Egyptian street, especially in relation to economic issues.

Nevertheless, Hossam calls for caution in terms of expecting too much too soon in relation to social mobilization against al-Sisi, and cites some factors that will spur movement in this regard. He states that the steadfastness of Palestinians in the face of Zionist policies inspires Egyptians in their resistance to status quo in Egypt.

Jadaliyya Co-Editor Bassam Haddad interviews Hossam Hamalawy on Egypt’s policy towards the Israeli assault on Gaza. from Jadaliyya on Vimeo.