Hamas and the release of Alan Johnston

According to Avi Issacharoff of Haaretz, is it  lucky for Johnston, that Hamas kept its promise. Hamas had been in bed with the Doghmush clan (aka Jayish al Islam aka Army of Islam) that kidnapped Johnston, and that also did dirty work for Hamas such as launching Qassam rockets, and doing the contract hit on Moussa Arafat.  

 

Johnston doesn't intend to return to Gaza to sing the praises of the Palestinians. He has "had enough already."

 

Here's how it was done:  

 

Hamas managed to gain the release of the BBC reporter though negotiations Gaza-style. A correct combination of stick, carrot and ladder. The stick: the gunmen of the Executive Force, which Hamas deployed around the Doghmush clan's compound and used to threaten an assault.

 

The carrot: guarantees that the clan will not be harmed after Johnston's release, and that it will be allowed to keep some weapons. And the ladder that enabled Mumtaz Doghmush, a devout Muslim, to climb down from the tree on which he found himself: the religious figure who acted as the mediator between Hamas and the Army of Islam allegedly issued a fatwa (a religious decree) demanding that Doghmush release the foreign journalist.

Or else, as Fatah spokesman Yasser Abd Rabbo explained, it was all staged - more Pallywood. Media wise, Hamas once again scored a coup, since they upstaged the payment of salaries by the Fatah.

 

Ami Isseroff