Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hamas Gains Allure in Gaza, but Money Is a Problem
New York Times ^ | 13 December 2012 | Steven Erlanger

Posted on 12/14/2012 11:25:16 AM PST by Lorianne

Hamas has been riding high of late, after its professed victory in the recent conflict with Israel and the overthrow last year of Egypt’s president, Hosni Mubarak, an avowed enemy.

Nevertheless, it is facing serious financial troubles stemming from the revolt in Syria and its expanding military ambitions, and its increasing demands on the impoverished population of Gaza are stirring resentments. In response, and with an anxious eye to the Arab Spring revolts, some Gaza residents say, it has eased up slightly in its religious restrictions on people’s lives.

The government of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria had been a stalwart ally and a conduit for Iranian money, weapons and military expertise. But the Assads are members of the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiism, and are fighting mostly Sunni rebels, forcing Hamas, which is Sunni, to choose sides. It decided to shut its political bureau in Damascus in March and send its political chairman, Khaled Meshal, shuttling between Qatar and Egypt.

The break with Syria has also meant a sharp cut in the financing Hamas received from Iran, which is also facing economic problems because of Western sanctions against its nuclear-enrichment program, sanctions that have cut the value of the Iranian rial in half in a year.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; Israel
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 12/14/2012 11:25:20 AM PST by Lorianne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Lorianne

Don’t worry, Hamasholes; Zer0 will cheerful fund you as soon as he borrows more from the Chinese.


2 posted on 12/14/2012 11:35:39 AM PST by Slings and Arrows (You can't have IngSoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

Their inventory of rockets must be depleted.


3 posted on 12/14/2012 11:48:22 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (You cant bring something to its knees that refuses to stand on its own)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: EQAndyBuzz
Their inventory of rockets must be depleted.

You know the definition of a "moderate Muslim?"

4 posted on 12/14/2012 11:53:36 AM PST by Slings and Arrows (You can't have IngSoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson