Who will protect Gazans from their supposed defenders?

[Jefferson23]

A Palestinian human rights activist was attacked and almost killed after he published an article criticizing militant groups and the Hamas government.

By Amira Hass

On December 9, 2011 - reads the silence-breaking article - "the occupiers' planes targeted one of the muqawama [armed resistance] organizations' training camps in Gaza's Nasser neighborhood. In the attack, a father and his 11-year-old son were killed, and his wife and four of their children were wounded."

That is part of a long, provocative article written by Gaza-based human-rights activist Mahmoud Abu Rahma, which was published on two Palestinian websites.

"One of the children is still being treated in an Israeli hospital," the piece continues. "Two adjacent houses were also destroyed. The man had always felt endangered, and asked the members of the muqawama to have consideration for his family, who live near the training camp. But his request was dismissed, and he was asked to leave the area although he lacks the means to do so. In the end, he died in the way he had feared."

The essence of the article: The ordinary citizen is promised that the armed resistance and the government are protecting him from the enemy, but when they undermine his rights, his freedom and his life - there is nobody to protect him. Abu Rahma writes, "There are many incidents when the citizen finds himself clashing with the muqawama and the government, far more often than people imagine. Who will protect the citizen from the harm caused to him by the government or the muqawama?"

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/who-will-protect-gazans-from-their-supposed-defenders-1.408733

[Jefferson23]

1. Gaza rights groups accuse Hamas of abuses

Local NGOs report violent attack on Shia worshippers during ceremony, and knifing of Al Mezan Centre executive.
Last Modified: 17 Jan 2012 20:41

Palestinian rights groups say masked Hamas police beat and detained members of the Gaza Strip's tiny Shia Muslim community during a religious commemoration last week.

It was the first claim of harassment by a group of Shia worshippers against the territory's rulers, who are Sunni Muslims. Hamas officials denied the allegations. Hamas is believed to enjoy close ties with Iran, the Shia Islamic republic.

Rights groups reported on Tuesday a separate incident that also occurred last week - a knife attack on a local non-governmental organisation executive.

The accusations came as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the main Palestinian Islamist movements, were holding talks about merging their two factions, according to sources on both sides.

A man who described himself as a Shia Muslim said police burst into a house where followers were marking Arbaeen, commemorating the end of 40 days of mourning following the anniversary of the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

Complaints filed

The man said about 15 worshippers were beaten and detained. He declined to be identified, fearing further harassment.

But some of the men filed complaints to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and the Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, which both sharply condemned Hamas over the attack.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/01/2012117194537484213.html