(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Stratfor, a US intelligence company, said that the Hamas Movement that has long controlled Gaza, is on the rise, while the aging leadership of secular Fatah faction is seeing its popularity wane.
In an analytical report, Stratfor explained that the outcome of the recent Israeli war in Gaza has enhanced Hamas's political fortunes.
"The group had already been on an upward trajectory since the beginning of the Arab Spring, especially after Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Morsi assumed the Egyptian presidency," the report said.
The analysis added that Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal's first visit ever to Gaza in the wake of the war has given Hamas significant momentum, especially since he was banned from visiting it by the ousted regime of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
"The visit follows Hamas' attainment of recognition from regional players, including Qatar, Jordan and other Arab capitals, after the group decided to end its relationship with Syria," Stratfor noted in its analysis.
On the day of its 25 anniversary festival, Mashaal spoke at a massive rally that was also attended by delegations from many countries including Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Indonesia and Malaysia. He made key remarks in reference to the power struggle between Hamas and Fatah, saying it was time for both sides to put their mistakes behind them, the report highlighted.
Stratfor pointed out to the failure of past attempts to reconcile between the two rivals, but it said that due to the sweeping political changes in the region, the latest reconciliation efforts have a far greater chance to succeed.
It highlighted that the current regional dynamic, triggered by the Arab uprisings and shaped by the rise of Islamist movements in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere, added more momentum to Hamas' climb in the Palestinian arena.
It underlined that this new atmosphere in addition to Hamas's support of the Fatah initiative that led to the UN recognition of Palestine as a non-member state prompted Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas to visit Turkey two days after Mashaal addressed a rally in Gaza and spoke of the need for Hamas and Fatah to move beyond past hostilities.
Abbas explored with the Turkish leadership the avenues for reconciliation with Hamas, it affirmed.
"Abbas [was] in Turkey because he knows the Turkish government is close to Hamas and that Ankara can push the latter to work with Fatah. Meanwhile, Hamas, Turkey and other regional players realize that even a weakened Fatah cannot be ignored, and they know that Hamas and Fatah must work together if the Palestinians are eventually to have a state."
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