News Analysis: Outlawing Hamas armed wing disrupts Egypt's role in Palestinian cause

The Egyptian court's decision of outlawing Islamic Hamas movement's armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, on Saturday would disrupt the historic role of Egypt to resolve the Palestinian issue, according to observers.

Local analysts believed that the decision of the court would complicate the deteriorated ties between Hamas movement and Cairo. Consequently, it "would have negative impact on the internal Palestinian affair and the future of the Egyptian-brokered understandings reached with Israel."

The Cairo Urgent Matters Court decided on Saturday that al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, "is outlawed and is a terrorist organization," according to the Egyptian media reports. It said that al-Qassam Brigades was involved in terrorist attacks and financed terrorist groups in Egypt.

According to the observers, the Egyptian court's decision of classifying al-Qassam Brigades as a terrorist group in Egypt would bring newer restrictions on the travel of the group's members through Egypt, the only Arab country that neighbors the Gaza Strip.

Walid al-Mudalal, political science professor at the Gaza Islamic University, told Xinhua that the decision of the Egyptian court "would put the armed wing of Hamas into the circle of getting arrested and prosecuted by the Egyptian court once they travel to Egypt."

"This is a dangerous development that would put the al-Qassam Brigades into a difficult position, and restrict their choices. Therefore, they have to deal with the issue with the highest level of self-control until they pass this impasse," said al-Mudalal.

Until now, Hamas movement or its armed wing didn't announce that they would appeal against the court's decision. Al-Mudalal said "the only choice remained for al-Qassam is to show goodwill gestures and proof that the court decision was a big mistake."

He said that appealing against the court's decision "only depends on whether Hamas movement and its armed wing trust the legal system in Egypt or not," adding that"therefore, I rule out that Hamas would go against the court and appeal against the decision because Hamas is convinced that the decision is political."

Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in an emailed press statement on Saturday that "the decision of the Egyptian court is purely political and only serves the Israeli occupation. The Egyptian court has to preview its decision immediately."

"Hamas, which is a liberation movement that only fights the Israeli occupation completely, rejects the court's decision and rejects pushing its name into the internal Egyptian affair," said Abu Zuhri. Al-Qassam Brigades denied the Egyptian claims and said they only fight the Israeli occupation.

TIGHTENING GRIP ON GAZA

Hamas movement, which has been controlling the Gaza Strip since 2007, is facing a tight Israeli and Egyptian blockade and an international isolation. Considering its armed wing a terrorist group "would increase the restrictions imposed on the coastal enclave," according to analysts.

Akram Atallah, a political analyst from Gaza, told Xinhua that the ongoing Egyptian escalation against Hamas would lead to an increase of Egyptian security restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip and a continuation of the closure of Rafah border crossing.

"Amid the ongoing war against terrorism that the Egyptian army is waging in the Sinai Peninsula, the Palestinians express deep hope that Egypt will succeed in this mission," said Atallah, adding that "the Gaza Strip's population's tragedy is the closure of Rafah crossing that keeps their suffering goes on."

Tension between Egypt and Hamas deteriorated since the ouster of the former Islamic President Mohamed Morsi in June 2013. Morsi is a senior leader in the Muslim Brotherhood movement, to which Hamas movement is an extension.

Atallah sees that Egypt has to find a humanitarian solution to the innocent populations of the Gaza Strip and help reopening the closed crossing of Rafah. "Opening the crossing would help the army of Egypt impose its full control on its border and protect its national security," he said.

Hamas had repeatedly denied the Egyptian accusation; however, the tension in the ties between the two sides was negatively reflected on the daily life of Gaza Strip's populations. The closure of Rafah crossing and the destruction of the tunnels underneath the borders suffocated the coastal enclave.

INFLUENCE ON MEDIATION

Amid the ongoing crisis between Hamas and Egypt, tension leaves a question mark on the future role of Egypt to mediate between the Islamic movement and Israel. Egypt has been all the time brokering understandings, prisoners swap deals and ceasefires agreements.

Adnan Abu Aamer, the political science professor at al-Ummah University in Gaza city, told Xinhua that he expects this tension is temporary between Hamas and Egypt.

"Any Hamas attempt to find an alternative to the role of Egypt, as for example, the Qataris or the European, will be certainly rejected by Israel, which sees Egypt as a fair mediator, mainly in resolving complicated issues related to ending the fighting or the release of prisoners for captive soldiers," he said. Endit