NABLUS, WEST BANK // Thousands of Hamas members protested against Israel here yesterday at the Islamist group's first rally in the West Bank for five years.
Bearing Hamas's green flags and cardboard replicas of the rockets Gaza militants fire at Israel, supporters marched from the Nasser Mosque in Nablus and rallied in the central square, where they called for a return to armed resistance against Israel.
The rare display signalled Hamas's rising influence after its tough fight in last month's eight-day assault by Israel's military on the Gaza Strip, which Hamas captured from its rivals Fatah in 2007.
Fatah controls the West Bank's Palestinian Authority, and its leaders are under mounting popular pressure to offer Hamas concessions, such as public rallies.
"The PA was embarrassed by what happened in Gaza because Hamas proved it could stand up to the Israelis," said Abdul Satter Kassem, a political-science professor at Al Najah University in Nablus.
Hamas and Fatah have been unable to settle their feud despite a reconciliation agreement in May 2011. The acrimony has been aggravated by coordination between PA security forces and Israel's military, which has crippled Hamas operations in the West Bank.
Mr Kassem said the Nablus rally may have been used by PA officials as a warning to Israel, which has punished the West Bank leadership for winning non-member state recognition in the United Nations last month.
Israel retaliated by announcing thousands of new Jewish settler homes and withholding US$100 million (Dh367m) of taxes collected for the PA, exacerbating its already desperate financial situation.
Mahmoud Abbas, the PA president, yesterday criticised Hamas's leader in exile, Khaled Meshaal, for a stridently anti-Israel speech in Gaza on Saturday.
Mr Meshaal addressed thousands - his first ever visit there - during a ceremony marking Hamas's 25th anniversary. He vowed never to recognise Israel's right to exist. The next day, he reaffirmed that Hamas does "not accept the two-state solution" to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
But Mr Abbas rebuked the Hamas leader. "We recognised Israel in 1993," he said during a visit to Turkey. "There is an agreement between Fatah and Hamas that recognises the two-state solution. Meshaal approved this agreement."
Mr Meshaal had recently offered a relatively pragmatic tone on Israel, suggesting Hamas could tacitly recognise its existence. He even threw his backing behind Mr Abbas's successful bid in the UN, which contained language that explicitly recognised Israel.
Hamas held significant sway in Nablus during the second Palestinian intifada that began in 2000, during which its members orchestrated numerous suicide attacks on Israeli civilians. That led to devastating Israeli reprisals against Palestinians in the occupied territories.
The Islamist group officially calls for Israel's destruction, but many of its members in Nablus yesterday hoped for a Hamas-Fatah rapprochement
"There was anger with Fatah, of course, but after the war on Gaza we hope there will be real reconciliation so we can be united," said Abdulrahim Rabaya, 25, a teacher in Nablus.
He joined in chants calling for returning to arms against Israel.
Israeli leaders have turned Mr Meshaal's tough comments against Mr Abbas, who last engaged in peace talks with Israel two years ago. He has since refused to return to negotiations with the government of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu because of Israeli-settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
"The leaders of Hamas openly called for the destruction of Israel. Where was the outrage? Where were the UN resolutions? Where was President Abbas?" Mr Netanyahu said on Monday.
"There was nothing. There was silence. And it was deafening silence. Well, we can't accept that."
Analysts have said Mr Meshaal, a supporter of reconciliation with Fatah, may be using a hard-line tone to shore up power in the group. His pragmatist outlook had received the backing of Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, which have encouraged Hamas's break from the so-called resistance axis of Iran, Syria and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hizbollah.
Last year, Mr Meshaal oversaw the dismantling of Hamas's Damascus headquarters.
hnaylor@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by Reuters
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
MATCH INFO
West Ham United 2 (Antonio 73', Ogbonna 90 5')
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 36', Moura 42', Kane 49')
F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
All you need to know about Formula E in Saudi Arabia
What The Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix
When Saturday
Where Diriyah in Saudi Arabia
What time Qualifying takes place from 11.50am UAE time through until the Super Pole session, which is due to end at 12.55pm. The race, which will last for 45 minutes, starts at 4.05pm.
Who is competing There are 22 drivers, from 11 teams, on the grid, with each vehicle run solely on electronic power.
More Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions:
FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
More on animal trafficking
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
Facebook | Our website | Instagram
Remaining Fixtures
Wednesday: West Indies v Scotland
Thursday: UAE v Zimbabwe
Friday: Afghanistan v Ireland
Sunday: Final
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
%3Cp%3E6pm%3A%20Falling%20Shadow%3Cbr%3E6.35pm%3A%20Quality%20Boone%3Cbr%3E7.10pm%3A%20Al%20Dasim%3Cbr%3E7.45pm%3A%20Withering%3Cbr%3E8.20pm%3A%20Lazuli%3Cbr%3E8.55pm%3A%20Tiger%20Nation%3Cbr%3E9.30pm%3A%20Modern%20News%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Review: Tomb Raider
Dir: Roar Uthaug
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu, Walter Goggins
two stars