Alwaght- As Gaza humanitarian crisis escalates, new aspects of the Israeli crimes in the Palestinian coastal enclave come to surface. In this connection, Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of Yisrael Briteinu party, has recently revealed that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israeli security agencies to arm the "criminal gangs" in Gaza with light weapons and offensive rifles. Israeli media reported that the Israeli army has since weeks ago began arming local groups to challenge Hamas, describing them "armed clans."
Arming criminal groups is part of Tel Aviv’s "organized policies and efforts" to counter Hamas, Israeli media claimed. The measures are approved by Netanyahu without knowledge of the cabinet or authorization of the security organizations.
Criminal gangs and Netanyahu build bonds
Lieberman as the ex-defense minister of Israeli regime told Israel radio that "the army, under Netanyahu's orders, is equipping criminal gangs in Gaza with assault rifles and light weapons, and these weapons will eventually be directed towards Israel, making Israel itself insecure."
Also, the radio, citing senior security sources, reported that" "armed militia in Gaza Strip are cooperating with Israel."
The radio further reported that these militias are made up of clans with criminal and murderous records in Gaza, who are neither affiliated with Hamas nor Fatah, and who are fighting against Hamas.
The report states that a Palestinian named Abu Shabab, a resident of Gaza who is “not affiliated with Hamas,” leads an armed gang in the Rafah area “under the supervision of Israeli forces.” The report adds that the group operates “with Israeli support and in areas under military control and occupation” and participates in the fight against Hamas. Abu Shabab's armed men have appeared in video clips from the Gaza Strip wearing Israeli uniforms, helmets, and protective vests. The report clearly confirms that Tel Aviv is working closely with criminal rings in Gaza.
Netanyahu's confession
On Thursday, Israeli PM in a public speech said that his government is working with criminal gangs in Gaza.
He said the government had “activated” powerful local clans in the enclave on the advice of “security officials." he added: "What's wrong with that? It's good... [it] saves lives of our troops."
Tel Aviv sets hopes on criminals
Close partnership of Tel Aviv and the criminal groups in the war-ravaged Gaza shows that 20-month war to destroy Hamas has now reached a deadlock in practice. Actually, the living of Hamas in Gaza has caused Israeli army to consider using criminals against Hamas along with heavy bombardment.
At the same time, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas announced that Avigdor Lieberman's statements reveal a shocking and dangerous truth: The Israeli occupying army is arming criminal gangs in the Gaza Strip with the aim of creating security and social chaos and advancing the occupiers' plans to cause famine and systematically steal humanitarian aid."
Why is Netanyahu relying on criminals?
An investigation by Asharq Al-Awsat has emphasized an increase in activities of the armed gangs in the Israeli-occupied regions of Gaza. These gangs abuse the critical conditions and are looting assets and aids of displaced civilians under Israeli army cover.
Washington Post reported that based on internal UN documents and testimony from humanitarian officials and transport companies, criminal gangs in Gaza are currently one of the biggest obstacles to aid distribution in southern Gaza. The gangs reportedly operate freely in areas under Israeli occupation. Recently, a convoy of 109 trucks carrying food aid to Gaza was looted, with gunmen seizing 98 of the trucks after shooting the drivers. UNRWA, or the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, has expressed deep concern about the criminal actions facing the aid distribution.
A UN report shows that a gang leader in the Gaza Strip is operating a military complex in a region occupied by the Israeli army. Currently, the phenomenon of looting in Gaza has spread as hunger spreads, and organized and violent criminal actions are normal in the blockaded Palestinian region.
Tel Aviv shifts approach in Gaza after facing dead end
According to observers, the new Israeli approach is indicative of an open shift from direct confrontation with Hamas to a strategy aimed at Hamas collapse from within through backing criminal gangs. Arming and supporting militias is part of a broader strategy aimed at eroding Hamas authority without need for direct and long-term battles.
Analysts believe that this strategy is an imitation of models Americans and Westerners executed in Iraq and Syria, where foreign powers supported armed fundamentalist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda to destroy ruling structures and incite internal conflicts.
Furthermore, the Israeli regime's support for criminal gangs is a clear violation of international humanitarian law, especially if it is proven that these groups have been involved in looting actions or violence against civilians.
Amid the mounting humanitarian crisis and complicated security outlook for Gaza, it is not unlikely that these criminal gangs in the near future will become the biggest security challenge for Israeli regime at home.
