James Freeman brings up the awkward possibility in the WSJ showing support for Hamas might in fact be on the back burner. There are welcome signs that Palestinians in general aren’t fully behind the terrorist group.
A Call to March Fizzles
Jared Malsin and Fatima AbdulKarim report for the WSJ on Hamas’s call for protests during Ramadan:
Tens of thousands of worshipers gathered in and around the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, Israeli police said, in a peaceful display of religious solidarity as Palestinians appeared to ignore Hamas’s call for protests during the first Friday prayers of Ramadan…
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh last month called for Palestinians to march on Al Aqsa at the start of Ramadan, which began Sunday. The march didn’t materialize.
On Thursday, Hamas issued another demand for action. “We call upon our people in Jerusalem, the West Bank, the interior, and the occupied lands to mobilize and confront the occupation’s schemes against the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque,” Hamas said in a statement. “Protecting Jerusalem is among the utmost duties, especially as we are in the month of Jihad and victories.”
Hamas’s calls for an uprising fell flat as Palestinians chose to focus instead on moments of quiet spirituality, cooking for iftar, the meal that breaks the daily Ramadan fast, and other ordinary holiday activities. Others simply brushed aside the demand for protests.
