CAIRO: In an article banned from running in the state-controlled Al Ahram daily newspaper, political commentator Fahmy Howeidy argues that the recent coup by the Islamic resistance group Hamas in Gaza was provoked by Israeli and US forces. "An attempt at understanding what happened in Gaza, which was published in Al-Masry Al-Youm on June 20, features a collection of sourced information gathered from various newspapers, letters and interviews with involved parties. Howeidy tries to prove the involvement of the American government in the Palestine crisis by sourcing the political commentator of German newspaper Neu Filet, Folf Rinehart, who says that the American administration had pre-planned to upset the internal affairs of Palestine. Rinehart added that American authorities had formed death groups responsible for assassinating the leaders of Hamas. In addition to Rinehart, Howeidy also quoted General Keith Dayton, head of American military communication based in Tel Aviv. Dayton said during a hearing session of the Middle Eastern division at the US Congress that the United States has a strong influence on Fatah and "the situation will blow up soon in Gaza, and it will be violent and merciless. Howeidy then mentions a letter sent from Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya to Abu Mazen, head of the Palestinian Authority, saying that he has received information about a security plan that aims at defying the government and the democratic choice of the Palestinian people. The letter goes on to list that information, which includes allowing large amounts of weapons to enter Palestinian territories under the guise of presidential security, forming private forces from national security to confront the Palestinian government, and conducting private security meetings for Palestinian officers at the American embassy. The article quotes another paper, Haaretz, claiming that Fatah had asked Israeli security to allow them to transfer large amounts of weapons into Gaza to fight Hamas. But Israel refused to allow the entry of rocket launchers for fear that it might end up with Hamas. The paper also quotes Abu Mazen as saying that he was disappointed in Israel's refusal of Fatah's request. In addition, the paper published that the American administration and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had agreed on a specific plan to bring down Hamas by creating the circumstances that would lead the Palestinian people in Gaza to revolt against it. Howeidy quotes General Amous Gelaad, head of political security in the Israeli Defense Ministry who was quoted in Ma'arif as saying that Israel needs the assistance of Arab countries, particularly Egypt, order to get rid of Hamas. Finally Howeidy suggests that with all the evidence pointing towards the involvement of the US and Israel, it is most likely to be true.
