Are Palestinians living in the Gaza strip allowed to speak up against Hamas without the threat of being killed?

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SARA

No they are not, there are many abuse cases of anti-Hamas Gazans.
I'm personally against both Hamas & Fatah.

Miss Sarah

Yes. They are allowed to speak out, they have the free will to vote or not to vote, as long as they are being logical and respectful. Gaza is a democracy.

Sara, there are abuse incidents in ALL countries of people speaking out against their government, Gaza is not an exception. According to the Law, they have that right, and most of the time, it is protected.

Shadi

If that is true, then the latest zionist attack on Gaza would make a golden chance for all those "anti Hamas" to get rid of the movement once and for all. Why do you think Hamas was never eliminated despite of all ugly methods used against them over years? If you shake your head abit then you will realize that Hamas strength does not come from the hand made rockets or some tight tunnels, but from the large public support they have from Palestine and Arab and Muslim world.

IGAL

Yes, but they have other things to worry about.

I don't know.........maby like F-16's or white phosphorus bombs.

^ PaLo ^

If they speak up what good will it do?
We will see where hamas will take us. Do you have a better option? Preferebly one the dosnt involve palestinians living under jewish feet?

zangwill

There are European journalists there. I read Reuters online. It's not like you have to guess about this. Yes,of course people are free to criticize the de facto government.

Stainless Steel

OK, first of all little fella, don't start posting questions asking about me, you make feel ...uncomfortable. Knowhatmean?
Awrite here is your answer coming right out of the Steel mouth :

The jews have the Mossad creeps pointing an SMG out to all folks answering these here "Israel" questions, (turn right and wave "hello" to Yijack, your friendly secret agent, sitting right beside you Jimmy - say to him I made you do it, lulz !!), so they assume that a similar situation mite occur in Palestine too.
Plus, do you honestly believe that the Arabs really give a sh!t about any political parties, when they have some nazi-like concentration camp situation to deal with in every step they have to take?

Answer me, Son:
How many checkpoints and how many watchtowers are in Palestine right now?

Gotta split (Beer time!)
Steel

Ferrari Enzo

Palestinians living in Gaza were killed right in front of our own eyes by the IDF, unless you can show any similar scale massacre by Hamas, Fatah, Hizbollah or anyone else on this planet, then I'm not sure why do you think they're any worse.

I am not saying they're any better, but Israel is the last place on this planet to call them terrorists, especially when they've got thousands detained, 100s of thousands maimed and killed, do you not think that to a palestinian, Israel is the biggest threat, far bigger than Hamas, Fatah or anyone else

Zeno

Yes,of course. I have several email friends in the Gaza so I am well-informed. People talk almost nothing but politics. Dalia is pro-Fatah,her mother is pro-Haniyah but with reservations about the party. This is the elected Palestinian government and you must remember that the losers did reject the election and seized power in the WB with U.S./israeli support; but their effort to do so in the Gaza failed. The government still holds there. You are confusing accounts you have read on the armed conflict of June 2007 with assumptions about Hamas and the general population. Fatah's several armed militant groups attempted a coup d'etat in the Gaza and were defeated by the government. This alleged government in the WB is without legal standing but with US/izzie support the coup there was a success but not in Gaza. The Gazan police do seek to monitor persons suspected of involvement with Fatah militant groups but in terms of party affiliation there is no risk whatsoever to being openly pro-Fatah or anti-Hamas; it's just politics. But an attempted coup is another thing. For example,if in the last U.S. election a group of militant-extreme-right Republicans had attempted a coup that would of course have to be put down and suspected supporters of the coup would be closely watched,but it would not affect your right to be a Democrat or Republican. No one in the Gaza finds the police at their door unless there is reason to think they might be involved with a subversive organization; so it is with any democratic government. Democracy cannot tolerate armed attempts to subvert it. Believe me if you got in trouble just for being pro-Fatah I would know. People sit in coffee houses and argue politics just like in any free country. You won't get in trouble for criticizing Haniyah any more than an American would get in trouble for criticising Obama. But actually plotting to overthrow the elected government is of course illegal,as in any sane society.

unforsakenme

Well, those many that did not vote for Hamas.
They survived didn't they?
So I'm pretty sure that they are allowed to speak out some opinions.
But, since I never lived there, I wouldn't know.

Bravo Sierra

Mr.Ed.
an honest word, I spoke to a lot of gazzans, and they were fifty fifty, divided on the question of Hamas.
We should all not forget what the Zionist army did to Gazzans, to let the population revolt on Hamas, they punished the population trying to have a revolution, Hamas did not stop that revolution, but the Zionist army did not do enough in kid killings to let them revolt.
Gazans know that freedom is VERY expensive, so they are still backing Hamas.
I lie if I say that they were afraid when I asked them if they hate Hamas, some said yes and some said no, bu still, they prefer them on Abbas.

I have photos and recorded some of the talks with the population, no one denied me of taking photos.

Shay p

They speak openly on very rare occasions.

Ulrike Putz (Der Spiegel, Jan 23 2009) managed to interview Palseinians who were not too intimidated by Hamas to speak (as long as their full names were not used): "Hail found out after the cease-fire that the militants had used his house as a base for their operations. The door to his house stood open and there were electric cables lying in the hallway. When Hail followed them they led to his neighbor's house which it seems Hamas had mined. As Hail, in his mid-30s, sat on his porch and thought about what to do a man came by: He was from Hamas and had left something in Hail's home. He let him in and the man then emerged with a bullet proof vest, a rocket launcher and an ammunition belt. An hour later a fighter with Islamic Jihad called to the door, then disappeared onto the roof and reappeared with a box of ammunition."

PloniAlmoni

No, they are living in fear of Hamas.

There have been many reports from the human rights organizations operating in the area that Hamas has executed many political opponents specifically during the war because no one would criticize them then.

Besides executions and assassinations they use a mafia style of "knee capping" (breaking knees) and breaking hands.

Many people who are outspoken against Hamas were the first people who's homes were used to to fire at Israel from because Hamas doesnt care if those peoples homes get destroyed when Israel returns fire. One famous case was a Dr who worked in Israel and was very secular. His daughter was killed by Israeli shells when Israel returned fire at Hamas terrorists that had taken their home hostage to use as a fighting station against Israel. The Dr. Still works in Israel and rightfully blames Hamas for his daughters death. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7838465.stm

Hamas WAS democratically elected into a COALITION government that included Fata as a large minority party. Then they had a COUP D'ETAT and expelled or killed ALL Fatah members, a coup d'etat cannot be equated to democracy in any way. Just repeating over and over that they were democratically elected does not make it reality... They led a coup d'etat and seized total power, is that democratic?

Arieh

You're joking, right? If any individual spoke out publicly against Hamas, not only would they be murdered, but their whole family would be slaughtered along with them.

Yes I know, I don't usually answer rhetorical questions, but there is an exception to every rule.

No. One example is a wedding party had pro Fatah music playing, so Hamas raided the party beating men and women, including the elderly. No other political party, ideology is allowed in the Gaza Strip.

Not according to recent history. They got elected at the point of a gun and hold power that way today.
On the one hand if you vote for Hamas you are an idiot on the other better dumb than dead.

No. being a terrorist organization hamas which are today's Adolf Hitler silences all opposition. example the mass murdering of fatah party members in 2007. as well as this they exploit their people and care for the destruction of jews. an example of exploitation is during operation cast lead where hamas officials hid behind civilians when they were attacking innocent israelis, or shooting at military of israel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvEDj7MweBs

Kevin S

"an honest word, I spoke to a lot of gazzans, and they were fifty fifty, divided on the question of Hamas."

I was right..........he's a human rights activist. How's your BMW doing?

They are not 50/50 on Hamas you have to take into account who are scared to talk against and who are not. I can tell by Bravo that he is def. not arab because he forgot to mention the arab mentality. Arabs are not scared of other arabs generally even if they are in power. This is why when arabs fight arabs more people die i.e. Black September.

Simple Simon

No, Palestinians can't speak openly against Hamas.
It happens in any dictatorship. Many probably want, but can't.
They will lose their heads if they will speak against.
BTW, this happens in almost every Muslim country.
However, I do believe that Hamas was democratically elected.
Many don't realize that Arafat came with thousands soldiers from abroad and their families. The old families lost their power and income.
Corruption was too much even by Muslim standards.

krishnamoorthynagarajan

They are hostages like 200,000 plus Tamils in Sri Lanka held captive by LTTE

dandyl

There is very little freedom of speech in the Westbank since Hamas came to power, Palestinian are afraid to speak out. â€œOut of fear for their safety.They can call the elections what they want, but how can it be democratic, if so long as the Palestinian people continue to be denied by their leaders the freedoms of speech, religion, assembly and the press, the election cannot be considered truly free and democratic.While democratic outcomes are preferable to the alternatives, the rest of the world is not obligated to have a relationship with elected leaders whose policies and views are dangerous.

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