 |
| Mohammed Al Emadi in Khan Yunis in 2017 |
"We have experienced combat here the likes of which we have not seen anywhere else in the Gaza Strip," said [Col. Omer] Cohen. "The neighborhood is full of terrorists and advanced combat equipment, including sophisticated explosive devices that have already been used against us."Built with Qatari aid money, the neighborhood was seized by Hamas as a protected area that Israel would be wary of harming. Intelligence information may have indicated the presence of hostages in the area, as well as the presence of senior Hamas members who likely fled to the tunnels that IDF bulldozers are currently working to uncover.It almost seems as though parts of the neighborhood were built in preparation for the day when IDF forces enter the area. Each building has hiding places and corners beneficial for urban fighting."Everything here seems extraordinarily organized. On its face, it is a beautiful and quiet neighborhood," says Lt. Col. A. ... "We understand that there is an underground system here, and it's only a matter of time before we expose it.""Only when you come in do you understand that this is really a hornet's nest of terrorists," A. adds. He leads us to a nearby building and into an apartment where weapons were found. Guns, grenades, explosive devices, intelligence materials and other items are arranged neatly. "All these are just from this building," he explains before we hear another radio call about a clash.
A number of years ago, a European diplomat told me some information about how the Qatari envoy to Gaza, Mohammed Abdul Karim Al Emadi, operated when he was building apartments there.
Emadi bragged about bringing in suitcases of cash to pay Hamas salaries, for example.
The diplomat had directly dealt with Emadi.
Emadi is not a diplomat. He is a builder. He has a successful real estate enterprise in Qatar. He did not feel bound by agreements and diplomacy, which he felt only slowed him down. At one point, the only construction materials allowed into Gaza came from Qatar. This was clearly allowed by Israel - and it appears to have been a major mistake.
The diplomat described how Emadi worked:
The whole objective of Qatari engagement in Gaza is to strengthen Hamas. This Emadi guy is an engineer who has his own construction company, so he's not a politician and he's certainly not a development aid person. He was appointed to implement the $1 billion that Qatar pledged in 2014.They build roads, hospitals and apartment complexes, but when I asked him, what they do with the apartments once they are finished, he said "we hand them over." When I asked to whom, he said it depends, some people just get it as a present, others have to pay some money for an apartment in installments that goes into a fund. When I asked according to what criteria they chose who gets an apartment and who doesn't, he said they decide it with the local partners (Hamas) and the only real criteria is that the person doesn't own an apartment yet. And he said sometimes his wife comes and talks to the people and when she meets someone needy she gives them an apartment as a present.What it means is that Hamas sympathisers and important people get an apartment as a present. And then we're back to the question of how is Arab gulf money used to reward "martyrs."
Qatar worked hand in glove with Hamas to build and then hand over these apartments to people Hamas approved.
Seeing what is reported today about these apartments, and how tenaciously Hamas is fighting there, is there any doubt that the Qatari engineers designed the buildings to Hamas specifications, to include the connection to the tunnels (or maybe the tunnels themselves) and rooms that could be used for military purposes? Hamas has been building the tunnel system since 2006 for military purposes, why would anyone think that they wouldn't plan a luxury apartment complex meant for Hamas members and sympathizers for the exact same purposes?
The Haaretz article ends with this:
"We will finish the work here, do what is necessary and expose what needs to be revealed before people return," said a senior officer in the brigade in a conversation near the fighters' makeshift coffee corner at headquarters. "They are fighting stubbornly here over something important to them, and we will find out exactly what it is."
Whatever it is, the Qataris already know about it. Because they built it.
