And in the Gaza...people suffer while Hamas/Fatah play power games...

The title of the Washington Post article is Hamas's New Order Exacts Toll On Gazans. There can be no doubt that life in Gaza has changed and that part of that change is directly related to the enforcement of the more stringent religious rules.

Yet, what disturbed me about the Washington Post article is it seems to forget that part of the reason why the people in Gaza are suffering more than they should be is because of Fatah and Abbas's U.S.-backed government cutting off funding to the Gaza for important basic life needs, such as trash pick up, medical supplies. Basically it's a starvation type sanction being placed on Hamas and the residents of Gaza to see how long it will take for people to break.

This type of sanction behavior doesn't work, it may get some to "surrender" but it also breeds contempt and even more resistance. The Post article hints at it but doesn't come right out and point out how huge of a reason this is behind how life in the Gaza is right now.

Facing money shortages, a shrinking private sector and growing political resistance, Hamas leaders are increasingly imposing harsh interpretations of Islamic law and using brute force to bolster their isolated administration....

Scott Wilson, the reporter for the story finds one factory owner who states they blame Hamas for all of this. No mention of the fact that the reason Hamas was in power was they were elected in January 2006 and what has happened since as far as aid being cut off as well as the many squabbles between Fatah and Hamas since the election. It'd be like if President Bush had not won this last election period and decided since he didn't like the outcome he was going to stay in office. It's a simplistic example but people are being punished for voting for Hamas, and it's clear the goal at the end of this from a Fatah/US/Israel standpoint is for people to be so much more miserable under Hamas (which Hamas is adding to by their own fear/control tactics) that power will be restored to Fatah...

It's a given that given the reputation of Hamas that should there be a power switch and they act like Fatah as far as not acknowledging it? That would be treated in a different manner by both the US and the media. Just like in Iraq, the sanctions didn't hurt Saddam, they hurt the people of Iraq, so while the US/Israel/Fatah continue to try to destroy Hamas, they are all destroying Gaza.