Conscription in Gaza?

[Gaza] It started first with the introduction of high taxes on cigarettes. It was the de facto government’s hope that this would prevent merchants from selling cigarettes, and that if they do, the cost would be too much for an average citizen to afford. Hamas believed this would eventually lead to the end of cigarette smoking in Gaza. Islam strongly discourages smoking and some even say that Muslims are forbidden from smoking cigarettes, since it is harmful to one’s health.

Next Hamas banned hookahs from all public places. When this caused a stir amongst the public, the government amended the regulation to prevent only females from smoking hookahs in open public places. “A scene that includes women sitting in an opened public place will harm the image of Gaza and the reputation of Islam,” read the press release issued by Gaza’s Ministry of Interior Affairs.

But Gaza’s women rose up against the hookah law and didn’t rest till it was eventually withdrawn.

After that came measures “implementing actions to raise the moral meter in Gaza” by imposing restrictions on lingerie shops in Gaza. Female mannequins could not be placed outside or in shop windows because that would be exhibiting “indecent women’s Lingerie,” which may bother people passing by, said Gaza’s Ministry of Interior Affairs. At the same time the ministry banned changing rooms and surveillance cameras inside these shops.

The Hamas de facto government has recently introduced a series of new laws in the Gaza Strip.

The latest bombshell to be dropped on Gazans is the possibility of a new law that would introduce voluntary military conscription, later making it mandatory.

Minister of Interior Affairs Fathi Hamad announced during his opening speech at the general directorate for training police officers that the government would soon open the door to non-compulsory conscription, followed after an unspecified period of time by compulsory conscription.

A government source who wishes to remain anonymous confirms Hamas’ readiness to institute voluntary conscription in Gaza.

“This is an Islamic and national duty in addition to being an act of patriotism,” he says.

A spokesman for Gaza’s Ministry of Interior Affairs Ihab Al-Ghussein, on the other hand, has a different point of view.

“A commission set up by the ministry is preparing a study on this matter and upon its completion it will be submitted to the minister who will then make any amendments he sees fit before being submitted to the government in Gaza to agree on it for regulation or otherwise,” says the spokesman.

Ghussein says it’s too early to talk about the conscription regulations – optional or compulsory – since the study conducted by the ministry’s commission will take time and concerns optional conscription only. He says there is no talk about compulsory conscription at this moment or in the near future.

However, Ghussein would not specify any details relating to the age or condition of recruits who would be accepted for conscription.

Officials in Gaza have agreed not to divulge any information until the ministry’s commission finishes its study and the regulations are issued, at which point the details will be made public.

As a result, everyone is in the dark, left to speculate who will be considered eligible for conscription.

Will men with permanent illness be excused? Will the only child be exempt? Will one or more men be taken from a family with many men and which ones? What will be the age range of the conscripts? What will be the period of time of optional conscription? What’s the period of compulsory conscription? Who will be exempt?

These questions are all on the minds of concerned Gazans.

This law has generated a huge buzz in Gaza, even before it has been issued; everyone is talking about it. But officials say that at this point everyone will just have to wait for the answers.

Visiting my best friend Ziad Ali at his house, this issue comes up in conversation. He wants to know if as the only male in his family and at 22-years-old he would be excused.

Entering the room, Ali’s mother, Faten, has a horrified look on her face, which makes her look much older than her 43 years of age.

“We don’t belong to or follow any Palestinian faction and we are not planning on changing now. I will never let my son join the police here in Gaza even if I had to send him to another country or maybe immigrate to somewhere else where I don’t have to worry about my only child. I have him and his sister Mira only now, after my husband died 10 years ago. I am not planning to lose him or his sister for any reason or at any price, even if it means serving his country,” says Ali’s mother with a shaky voice.

Going out to the street, people coming from all different ages and social statuses have many different viewpoints on the issue of conscription. Some are for it; some are against it; others won’t even have anything to say about it.

Many who support Hamas see this new policy as normal. Meanwhile, most of those belonging to other political factions say they reject the law, saying it is unjust. Amongst those who don’t belong to any faction there are people who are both for and against conscription.

Each of the four Asem Al Soosi brothers present a differing opinion on the matter.

Mohammed Asem Al Soosi, 19, is a member of Hamas. He says he supports conscription in all forms.

Mahmoud Asem Al Soosi, 20, however, belongs to Fatah. He says he thinks instituting conscription is “ridiculous” and he strongly opposes the idea.

Ahmed Asem Al Soosi, 22, laughs at his conflicting brothers. He says he isn’t a member of any faction, but he supports both voluntary and mandatory conscription. He says he would like to join the police, not as a member of Hamas, but to serve his country since it’s a national duty.

Mustafa Asem Al Soosi, 25, responds simply that he is against conscription in all forms and says he doesn’t belong to any faction because he is against them too.

Mustafa concludes by saying that conscription is not what Gazans need now.

“We need a free prosperous country where people aren’t suffering and are enjoying their full rights, so we better focus on that instead of talking about conscription.”

Each household in Gaza contains family members with varying beliefs like these brothers. After all, diversity is one of the most prominent features in Gazan society.

Currently it’s unclear whether Gaza will see optional conscription, compulsory conscription or both instituted. What is clear, however, is that this regulation won’t be the last introduced by the Hamas de facto government.