Law And Order

One is almost at a loss as to how to take this particular article from the German newspaper der Spiegel. Quite obviously, Hamas is trying to curry favor with the Western press – like that's hard. But the reporter also takes a clear swipe at the story that Hamas is telling – you know, the usual: "we're just poor religious people who are restoring law and order".

Human rights organizations like Amnesty International have long voiced criticism of systematic human rights violations in the security force's prisons, both in Gaza and the West Bank. In this respect, the fact that Hamas captured the Fatah headquarters in Gaza last week was more than just strategically significant — it was also a highly symbolic act.

"This building is a symbol of injustice in stone," says Abu Mohammed, an officer in Hamas's militant al-Qassam Brigades, who led the attack on the complex. He and his unit have occupied the compound since the building was captured, and Abu Mohammed is using the gatehouse as his office. "We came because we wanted to see the place where our brothers were killed," he says.

Three days ago, his soldiers exhumed four bodies that had been hastily buried in one of the prison basements, he says wearily. They were able to identify a fellow al-Qassam Brigades member, Nasser al-Juju. They believe he was killed shortly before he was discovered: "The others have been lying in this basement for a long time."

In the room next to the guard booth, large puddles of blood are drying out, surrounded by swarms of flies. "Fatah used this room to shoot people," says the al-Qassam militiaman.

But why the security force would have performed executions in a room with two windows, directly adjacent to the gate of the complex, remains unclear. One can't help but suspect that Abu Mohammed's men may have used the room to shoot Fatah men who wanted to surrender.

Eyewitnesses last Thursday reported that the Fatah members who were defending the building were shot in the head, one after another, when, with their shirts removed and their hands held above their heads, they had attempted to surrender. "We didn't kill a single one of them," counters Abu Mohammed. "That would be un-Islamic."

One assumes it is also "un-Islamic" to provide flying lessons – without an airplane – to captured Fatah fighters. Yet the reports say that is precisely what was done. One can't help but believe that Abu Mohammed is lying through his teeth about what happened. Secret executions are not carried out next to the road. "Summary justice" by conquering "insurgents" are. Yep, these are the folks Jimmy Carter respects and admires.