Gaza Under Hamas: From Islamic Democracy to Islamist Governance

ISBN-13: 9781784537777 / Angielski / Twarda / 2017 / 272 str.

Bjorn Brenner

Opis

The landslide victory of Hamas to the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2006 saw the ascent of a new actor on the parliamentary scene. The elections also constituted the first time Islamists had ascended to power in the Arab world by democratic means. But did Hamas proceed to govern in the same democratic manner it had displayed during these elections? Gaza Under Hamas scrutinizes the workings of the Hamas government, tracing how its governance in the domestic arena unfolded. Particular focus is placed on the ways in which the new government reacted to three key challenges to its power: the competitive political system and main opposition party; violent radicalization and local splinter groups; the need to re-establish societal order and reform the judicial system. The analysis as it unfolds tells the story of an inexperienced but self-confident Hamas in government, that perceived itself to be working under the constant threat of a possible coup d'etat. In addition to the author's first-hand observations, analysis is based on interviews with a wide range of Palestinian political personalities in the Hamas government, as well as interviews with military commanders, internal security personnel and members of the Qassam Brigades. Interviewees also included those whom Hamas leaders identified as local troublemakers and critics, notably, Salafi-Jihadis, youth dissidents and members of the Fatah party. Existing work on Islamist governance has been based on predictions and analysis of Islamist ideals, while Gaza Under Hamas uses empirical evidence to reveal exactly what happens when theoretical ideals are translated into political action.

Recenzje

Against heaps of reductionist literature and media portrayals that render Hamas as an extremist terrorist group, Bjorn Brenner provides in this book an authoritative and empirical study that debunks such Western, and mainly official, depictions of the movements. Disintersted in either vilifying or glorifying Hamas, this finely structured book is based on four years of direct field research, firsthand observations, and data collection. Journal of Palestine Studies

Spis treści

PrefaceForeword by Magnus RanstorpGlossary of terms1. Islamists in power by democratic means 92. Rising to power and relating to the opposition 243. A change in the political order: Taking over Gaza 384. Violent radicalisation and the emergence of splinter groups 545. De-radicalisation of Islamists by Islamists 646. Social order in the midst of political chaos 817. The new political order and the judicial system 938. Islamist governance Hamas style 109NotesSelect bibliographyIndex

O autorze

Bjorn Brenner serves as the Military Advisor to the UN Special Envoy for Syria. Prior to joining the United Nations, Björn was Lecturer at the Swedish Defence University in Stockholm and Research Fellow at Institut francais du Proche-Orient in Amman, Jordan. He holds a doctorate in Peace and Development Studies from the University of Gothenburg and an MA in Political Science from Uppsala University. He is the author of numerous articles on Palestinian and Israeli politics and is a frequently appearing commentator in the media on Middle Eastern affairs.