Whilst the world is in a state of shock with regards to the massacres that continue to be carried out against the Syrian people at the hands of the Bashar al-Assad regime, "tinplate" rockets were being fired from Gaza into Israel, and the Israelis, of course, responded to this with violence, and then suddenly it was announced that the Egyptians had mediated and therefore the situation had calmed, and then Hamas announced that it was involved in this. So why did what happen happen? Why was the Egyptian mediation accepted in the first place?

I challenge anybody from Hamas or any other Gaza organization to come out with a compelling answer about why "tinplate" rockets were fired into Israel in the first place, and whose interests are served for the lives of the Palestinian people to be lost in this saddening manner? There is no balance of power between Hamas or Islamic Jihad and Israel, whilst the Arabs are all preoccupied in attempting to protect the blood of the Syrian people from the tyrant of Damascus; this is not to mention the fact that most of the Arab states are preoccupied with their own affairs today, and the entire world is also preoccupied with stopping the massacres that are being carried out against the Syrian people.

This is both puzzling and striking; what is puzzling is the extent to which Palestinian blood is viewed as cheap, whilst what is striking is that it is clear that the division within Hamas is intensifying. It seems that those who sought to divide the Palestinians on the day that Hamas forcibly overthrew the Palestinian Authority [in the Gaza Strip] are today seeking to turn Hamas against itself, as well as create friction between Hamas and its allies who are affiliated to Iran, otherwise how else can we understand Ismail Haniyeh's public support for the Syrian revolution at the same time that Hamas was attempting to involve Gaza in a meaningless and reward-less battle with Israel? So what is achieved with the firing of these rockets [into Israel], and indeed what was achieved in the first place following the Egyptian mediation? It is clear that the objective of the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel was to serve Iran and al-Assad, but why didn't Hamas and Islamic Jihad and others in Gaza ask themselves a simple question, namely: why hasn't Hezbollah rushed to defend Bashar al-Assad, whilst this defense is taking place from Gaza? Why hasn't Hezbollah sacrificed even a single fighter in confronting Israel in defense of al-Assad, whilst the lives of innocence are lost in Gaza in an attempt to distract attention away from the al-Assad regime's crimes in Syria?

It is saddening that whilst Hezbollah and Iran support al-Assad in suppressing the innocent Syrian people with money, equipment and men, Hamas and its allies were attempting to set fire to Gaza solely in order to rescue the al-Assad regime, whose collapse is inevitable. When we say that this is saddening and shameful, this is for a number of clear and simple reasons; the attempt to set fire to Gaza at this time indicates that Hamas and others do not care about the Syrian blood and the massacres that are being carried out against them, something that has shocked and dismayed the Arab and indeed the entire world. This also indicates that Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and all Iran's allies in Gaza do not even care about the blood of the people of Gaza, indeed they are unfortunately trading in this blood, in defense of a regime that kills women and children, and destroys houses of worship.

Therefore, it is clear that the traders of Gaza, the traders of Palestinian blood, were attempting to fight al-Assad's battle, whose own regime has killed Palestinians, whilst Hezbollah and Iran are busy supporting al-Assad in crushing the Syrian revolution. So how long will Palestinian blood be exploited in this manner? Only God knows.

Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, the youngest person to be appointed that position. He holds a BA degree in Media studies from King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, and has also completed his Introductory courses towards a Master's degree from George Washington University in Washington D.C. He is based in London.

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