Syrians rise up in support of Hamas government

Damascus: The Syrian street finds itself in harmony on a variety of issues related to Syria's foreign affairs. One is support for Hamas in Palestine.

Few Syrians would come out and criticise Hamas not out of fear of government response, but rather out of strong conviction that the resistance in Palestine is heroic and must be supported.

Emotions have been soaring in Syria since the election of Hamas and the international community's decision to boycott the cabinet of Prime Minister Esmail Haniya.

This week, Vice-President Farouk Al Shar'a authorised Syrians to donate money to the Hamas government to end their financial crisis, days before Iran and Qatar pledged to help the Palestinians. Syrians responded positively to Al Shar'a's call, flocking to donate funds to the Palestinians.

Syrian opposition writer and activist Michel Kilo, who was close to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, told Gulf News, "Hamas was elected through the will of the Palestinians. It is representative of common Palestinians.

"I do not, however, support the current policy of Hamas. We want Hamas to portray a new image of political Islam. We want it to show political Islam that is tolerant, open minded to new ideas, and democratic. Sadly, this has not happened until now."

Ayman Abdul Nour, a member of the ruling Baath Party who runs the influential bulletin www.allforsyria.com, told Gulf News: "If the United States and Europe do not want to work with Hamas, clearly other countries like Iran will be eager to replace them."

'We will bear hunger, we will not kneel'

Palestinians in Yemen said they will not surrender to western pressure.

Ahmad Hararah, director of Hamas office in Sanaa, said democratic voting in Palestine "did not satisfy the United States and its allies ... They want to punish us by the siege but [we] will bear hunger [and] will not ... kneel".

"The question I want to raise now is could the Ummah unite [to] support our people or will they let us down," said Um Abdullah Farwana, from the committee of Palestinian women in Sanaa.

Ali Al Jaradi, editor-in-chief of Nawafez magazine, said: "The ... Hamas [victory] was a decisive test for the reforms being adopted by the United States in the region."

Cutting aid by the United States and the European Union has "reassured the dictatorial regimes in the region that US supports only reforms which agree with its interests", he said.

Dr Fawaz Al Beshtawi, director of Al Quds Establishment in Sanaa, said: "If there is a collective movement from leaders, governments and peoples of Arab and Islamic countries, the situation can be rescued, and the siege can be lifted."