And what of those Palestinian “protests”?
I’ve heard many people wonder why there have been so few Palestinian protests against Hamas. My response has been that there’s only a small percentage of Palestinians who aren’t onboard with Hamas and the war, and the consequences of protests would be dire. Gaza isn’t exactly a bastion of free speech.
But now we have this:
CAIRO — Thousands of Palestinians marched between the wreckage of a heavily destroyed town in northern Gaza on Wednesday in the second day of antiwar protests, with many chanting against Hamas in a rare display of public anger against the militant group.
The protests, which centered mainly on Gaza’s north, appeared to be aimed generally against the war, with protesters calling for an end to 17 months of deadly fighting with Israel that has made life in Gaza insufferable.
But the public calls against Hamas, which has long repressed dissent and still rules the territory months into the war with Israel, were rare.
In the town of Beit Lahiya, where a similar protest took place Tuesday, about 3,000 people demonstrated, with many chanting, “The people want the fall of Hamas.” In the hard-hit Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, dozens of men chanted “Out, out out! Hamas get out!”
“Our children have been killed. Our houses have been destroyed,” said Abed Radwan, who said he joined the protest in Beit Lahiya “against the war, against Hamas, and the [Palestinian political] factions, against Israel and against the world’s silence.” …
The militant group has violently cracked down on previous protests. This time no outright intervention was apparent, perhaps because Hamas is keeping a lower profile since Israel resumed war against it. …
Later, they said they regretted participating because of Israeli media coverage, which emphasized the opposition to Hamas.
So, what I take from it is that (a) it’s a very small group (b) they’re angry that they’ve had negative consequences from the war they started and probably supported (c) they want a breather from war, but their sentiments regarding Israel and its right to exist have not changed (d) they blame everybody; and (e) Hamas is choosing to take it easy on them, perhaps because it serves their “suffering Palestinians” narrative.
This may be the truth [my emphasis]:
A 19-year-old Palestinian, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said he planned to join demonstrations on Wednesday. His mother has cancer and his 10-year-old brother is hospitalized with cerebral palsy, and he said the family has been displaced multiple times since their home was destroyed.
“People are angry at the whole world,” including the United States, Israel and Hamas, he said. “We want Hamas to resolve this situation, return the hostages and end this whole thing.”
But truth is an elusive commodity in the Palestinian world. The whole thing may be some form of taqiyyah – that is, strategic deception. Hard to say. Actually, impossible to say. But I would guess there is a certain amount of dissatisfaction with the length of the war and its cost to the common Gazan. Having a temporary ceasefire gave them bit of respite, and then a resumption of the war must have seemed especially unwelcome. They believe that if the hostages were given up, the war would end. But I’m not so sure at this point; Israel cannot allow the situation to continue and leave Hamas or any similar group with similar goals in charge.
(e) Hamas is choosing to take it easy on them, perhaps because it serves their “suffering Palestinians” narrative.
Or maybe Hamas has been sufficiently weakened that it is no longer able to murder anyone who dissents. Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if a majority of Gazans still favor Hamas.
Hamas is drawn from an Arab population which has had four generations to figure out a constructive way of interacting with the Jewish population. Their learning curve is flat. The Dr Phil question, “How’s that workin’ out for ya?” is one of which they’re incapable of making any sense. Had the spigot of international aid been turned off 60 years ago, they might have figured out a salutary course of action. Might have.
I have much more sympathy for the Iranians.
There Is No Such Thing As A Muslim Civilian.
They all believe in violent war to subdue and convert non-Muslims.
They all believe that deception is permissible to further that aim.
Their culture really is different from ours.
They really don’t want what we want.
They really don’t define and value honor, truth, or victory as we do.
In the war against Israel the Palestinians have never felt that they have really lost. Given the support they’ve received around the world, and all the aid that has flowed, this is perhaps understandable. The war will end when Palestinians come to truly believe that they have lost. That their cause is fruitless. That is why the Abraham accords are so important. It’s why the aid must stop. It is why clear and firm U.S. leadership is so important.
Being against Hamas is the first, small, step. And I’m pretty sure many Palestinians are now, finally, against Hamas. But they’re against war.
Against losing. Losing sons, brothers, fathers; losing homes; losing the freedom to act normally which only occurs in peace.
They need to want Peace with Israel, rather than merely this war/ battle to end, so they stop losing.
Israel will need to occupy and govern Gaza as an occupation power — and won’t find many, or maybe any, Gaza folk who can be installed as leaders.
Why not pay hundreds of thousands of $$ to Israel Arab Muslims, of which there are some 2 million, to become 5 different governors of 5 Gaza cantons, with a maximum of devolved power?
Trump might also suggest a couple of 99 year leases, one of a Gaza sized chunk of Egypt, another from Israel, so a new Gaza Confederation can be created with 3x more land, for reconstruction and creation of a new Hong Kong. Which didn’t have democracy, but had successful capitalism.
Gaza needs human rights & property rights, but non-Gazan government. The Elites hate that idea.
Huxley–
It took me a second, but I agree. I’m off X again because I think it was making me depressed, but there was a Iranian woman I followed who still pines for the Shah. Looking back on those pictures of an Iran that seemed like a cosmopolitan land with exotic women and oil wealth, I think of the waste of the last 45 years, in lives and wealth.
And it’s less than a human lifespan. I’m hoping for some kind of change. It seems like Khamenei knows it’s coming, too. Sanctions almost crushed them until Biden showed up. Perhaps ending their quest for nuclear weapons and taking away the money will work again. Or maybe the people are ready to strike back. It’ll be bloody, though.
Nothing can ever be easy.
The palestinians have been poorly led but they havent been really willing to seek out alternatives
There were some positive signs under the protests that occurred against khamenei
Here’s the Israeli “Boots on the Ground” take on the anti-Hamas protest in Gaza, which is somewhat optimistic. Note that that this report claims Hamas did crack down on the protesters, including with live bullets.
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Yesterday, an unprecedented incident occurred in the Gaza Strip when hundreds of Gazan residents from Beta and Betanoon, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, demonstrated against the wall after being uprooted from their homes and moving toward Gaza City.
This was the first public protest of its kind in Gaza that challenged the narratives Hamas leaders have been echoing about “steadfastness” and remaining on Palestinian land in the Gaza Strip.
During the protest, demonstrators chanted slogans such as:
“Our children’s blood is not worthless”
“Stop the war immediately”
And a group of young people chanted: “Hamas out! Hamas must leave here.”
Abu Suliman, one of the protesters, said:
“We have a message. The residents of Beta are people of peace. We demand peace and security—not to be ruled by weapons and fire. We decide, and will decide, who governs us. We live under difficult conditions. Yes to peace, no to war.”
Shortly afterward, Hamas terrorists arrived on the scene, quickly and forcibly dispersed the protest, and fired live bullets at the demonstrators.
Much of the Gazans’ criticism related to anger over Hamas’s decisions that led to their dire situation—and consequently, to the war against Israel and the failure to reach an agreement to end it. Above all, the calls for additional protests against the conduct of the terrorist organization stand out. Some residents are even calling for Hamas to be overthrown and expelled from the Gaza Strip.
–Boots on the Ground, “BREAKING: IDF Strikes 420 Hamas Targets; Iran Nuclear Tensions ESCALATING | TBN Israel”
https://youtu.be/ukvdmlN0TyQ?t=547
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I don’t claim to know what goes on in Israel and the Middle East beyond I’m for Israel. I would be curious to hear from Ben David about “Boots on the Ground.”
Related:
“Why are there more protests against Hamas in Gaza than Britain?”—
https://blazingcatfur.ca/2025/03/26/why-are-there-more-protests-against-hamas-in-gaza-than-britain/
+ Bonus (from Canada)
“New Muslim campaign will endorse federal election candidates based on their Anti-Jew Zealotry”—
https://blazingcatfur.ca/2025/03/26/new-muslim-campaign-will-endorse-federal-election-candidates-based-on-their-anti-jew-zealotry/
When Noa Argamani was taken hostage on October 7 her captors were “civilians”. The number of Gazans who want a permanent peace with Israel can fit in the back of a London cab. When this war concludes there will be no more Gazans in the future coming into Israel to work or for medical treatment. FAFO Gaza!
There has never been a country named Palestine. It is an imaginary country like Wakanda with imaginary citizens.
Oh really https://x.com/AcrossTheBay/status/1905595744586768651
@ Miguel,
Who are you replying to?
laughing at Macron, mostly because he thinks he has influence in Lebanon, that time has long past conversely Hezbollah probably has influence with the French Government,