Hamas Mitigates Fallout After Muslim Brotherhood Defeat
Hamas is seeking to assuage fears among its members and supporters that they will suffer the same fate as the Muslim Brotherhood.
A political earthquake hit Hamas following the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. Frustration plagued both members and leaders of the Islamic movement in the Gaza Strip. They were hoping that the Islamic governance project would succeed with the rise of Islamists — the Muslim Brotherhood in particular — in Arab Spring countries, and the world’s new openness toward this project.
In statements regarding their crisis, Hamas leaders have tried to maintain calm. They also took a position of self-defense in light of efforts on the part of anti-Muslim Brotherhood Egyptian media outlets to incite hatred against Palestinians, especially those in the Gaza Strip. Yet, despite these efforts, tension and disappointment seemed clear in the ranks of the leaders in this coastal region. These leaders clearly support the actions of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt to oppose the military “coup” against Islamists.
