PA State Would Be Iranian Proxy, Says Minister Shalom - Iran's Backing of Hamas Has Introduced Shi'ite Islam to Gaza

Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom told the Knesset on Wednesday recognition of a PA state would put Iran on Israel's front door
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During a special session of the knesset on the recent Fatah-Hamas unity agreement Shalom said the integration of Hamas into the PA would render any future PA state an Iranian proxy.


"We are in the midst of a war between the West and Iran for control of the Middle East region, which holds the world's oil reserves," Shalom said. "A Hamas state will constitute another Iranian proxy in this region."

"We must make clear to the world that if the UN recognizes a Palestinian state in September 2011," Shalom said. "It could find in January 2012 it has sponsored another Iranian entity in the Middle East."

Shalom, referring to Israel's decision to withhold tax revenues from the PA, said the PA wanted to have it both ways.

"They [Fatah] wants a situation in which Hamas will participate in PA elections without accepting the Quartet's conditions, which are also the Olso Accords conditions, but demand we transfer funds to them despite violating previous agreements," Shalom said.

Yaalon: Fatah-Hamas Deal Won't Last
Vice premier Moshe Yaalon said the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement was the result of internal tensions.
"Hamas could not afford for Fatah to get full credit for international recognition of a Palestinian state," Yaalon said. "But Abu Mazen wants it to continue to appear that Salam Fayyad is leading the initiative."

For two years the Palestinian Authority has refused to sit at the negotiating table," he added. "The agreement with Hamas again reveals their true face. The world must not rush for a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state before PA elections in 2012."

Yaalon expressed doubts about the longevity of the Fatah-Hamas accord: "Will Abbas take control of the Gaza Strip and empty it from rockets? Will he allow Hamas to enter Judea and Samaria?"

"If he does, the place will turn into Hamastan," Yaalon said.

Hamas Doubts Viability of Statehood Bid
Hamas officials have expressed doubts over the viability of the PA's pursuit of a unilateral declaration of a PA state by the UN in September, however.

Hamas co-founder Mahmoud al-Zahar told the Maan news agency Wednesday "all the talk of a Palestinian state is… an attempt to pacify us."

Zahar wondered what a PA state would look like if declared in September: "Where is the land for this state? Are those living in the West Bank and Gaza to be its citizens? What will be the fate of the five million Palestinians in the diaspora? Are we to give up the right of return?"

Zahar also scoffed at the idea the international community would accept a PA state that did not first recognize Israel.

"Anyone who believes that does not understand the (political) landscape," Zahar said.
On Wednesday Zahar said Hamas would never recognize Israel and any preace agreement would be a prelude to war.

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Iran's backing Hamas has led to hundreds of conversions to Shi'a (the Shi'ite Islamic stream) in Sunni dominated Gaza.

Al Arabya reports a large number of Arabs in Gaza have adopted Shi'ite doctrine within the past few years, although the enclave is controlled by the Sunni Islamist Hamas rulers.

Agence-France Presscharacterized the conversions as a clear sign of an increase in the Iranian influence among the Gaza's Arabs.

Arab states have accused Iran of inciting hatred and igniting sectarian tensions throughout the region. These same states have frozen Hamas out in favor of its arch-rival Fatah.

As a result, Hamas leaders in Gaza find themselves forced to tread lightly with Shiite missionaries in order not to jeopardize their relationship with their closest ally, Tehran.

This, depsite Hamas' stridently fundamentalist brand of Sunni Islam.

Abdul Rahim Hamad, who lives in Jabalia, told theAssociated Press he converted to the Shi'ite doctrine five years ago. Hamad attributed the growth of Shi'a in Gaza “to the influence of Iran and Lebanon's Hizbullah in the region.”

“We are now hundreds in Gaza," Hamad said. "We will start our political activities soon. Palestinian Shi'ites will play an important role in controlling this region in the future.”

Ahmed Youssef, adviser of Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, denied any increase in Shi'ite Islam in Gaza, but added Gaza's Arabs “love Iran and Hizbullah.”

A Message For Iran
Despite Haniyeh's lovey public rhetoric vis-a-vis Iran, Hamas is starting to show signs of displeasure with the ideological Trojan Horse Iranian aid represents in its bailiwick.

Security sources in Gaza intimated police forces last Thursday shut down the premises of the Shi'ite al-Baqeyat al-Salehat society, located in northern Gaza.

“We were surprised today by the shutdown of the society premises,” Hisham Salem, the society chairman, told the Ma'an News Agency.

Salem insisted al-Baqeyat al-Salehat was a charitable society that was given the municipal license four years ago.

“The society receives funds from several foreign states, including Iran,” he said.

Some observers have suggested the shutdown was a veiled message Hamas has little intention of allowing Gaza to become an Iranian satrapy.

But Hamas, messages aside, is in a proverbial catch-22. If Hamas leaders wish to retain control of Gaza they must stanch the spread of Shi'a. But doing so may come at the cost of Tehran's patronage, which serves as a vital life-line for a largely isolated Hamas.

Israel Leaving Door Open For Iran
For their part, Israeli security officials have left the door open for Iran in Gaza.

In a batch of classified US Embassy Cables recently released by Wikileaksfounder Julian Assange, Shin Bet Director Yuval Diskin was quoted as having told US officials his agency possessed intelligence indicating Gaza Arabs were using the Rafah crossing to travel to and from Iran and Lebanon to increase Hamas' capabilities.

Diskin told the Americans: “If we want to approach this seriously, we need to start with the movements of people.”

Despite these comments, Diskin maintained that it was important to leave the Rafah crossing open.

When US officials asked about Egypt’s ability to influence matters in Gaza, Diskin replied, “The most important thing they can do is stop the smuggling which takes place between their borders with both Gaza and Israel.”