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Hamas's singing policemen boost morale in Gaza
11/14/2007 8:10 AM, Reuters
Wearing blue camouflage fatigues and
crooning about Islamic holy war, the five members of Hamas's
Protectors of the Homeland police band are trying to boost
morale in Gaza with an arsenal of anti-Israel numbers.
Standing bolt upright and staring straight ahead in their
Hamas uniforms, the bearded men -- in their 20s and 30s -- are
not quite Gaza's answer to international boy bands like
Backstreet Boys or 'N Sync.
"Our duties are to boost the spirits with entertainment and
encourage the forces," Hussam Abu Abdu told Reuters after a
band rehearsal at the Hamas-run Gaza Strip's police
headquarters.
Hamas's top police commander, Jamal al-Jarah, who is wanted
by Israel, formed the band after the Islamist group seized
control of Gaza in June following violent clashes with
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah faction.
Israel and its allies shun Hamas for its refusal to
renounce violence. The result has been the near total closure
of Gaza's borders since Hamas seized the enclave.
The policemen shun the bump-and-grind dancing and sugary
love songs favored by boy bands around the world. They sing
about heroic fighters, Islamic values and love of the homeland,
all recorded over backing tracks played from a laptop computer.
"O Jerusalem, rest assured we are the sacrifice," goes one
song. "I will not retreat from my Jihad, I will not back down."
"EDUCATE AND ENTERTAIN"
Abdu says the band hopes to bolster morale in the
impoverished territory of 1.5 million people, which is facing
economic collapse due to the blockade.
The men spend most days rehearsing in Gaza City's police
headquarters, which was home to Abbas's security forces until
Hamas took over. A photograph of Abbas's predecessor, Yasser
Arafat, still hangs on the wall behind them as they sing.
The Protectors of the Homeland perform for police units in
Gaza and at public functions such as police graduation
ceremonies. They also sing and perform short anti-crime skits
in jails to "entertain and educate" prisoners.
Amnesty International has accused Hamas's security
services, as well as their Fatah counterparts in the West Bank,
of abusing human rights and Israel has attacked police posts in
Gaza in recent weeks, describing them as "terrorist positions."
Hamas has its own satellite TV channel, radio station and
newspapers and has used its influence in the media to garner
political support during its power struggle with Fatah.
Hamas's Al-Aqsa Television earlier this year aired a weekly
show featuring a Mickey Mouse look-alike who urged children to
support armed resistance against Israel, prompting complaints
by Israeli watchdogs and international scrutiny.
The character was beaten to death in the show's final
episode by a character portraying an Israeli.
The Protectors of the Homeland hope to boost their
influence by releasing a cassette of their music, and are
working on a video clip to showcase work done by Gaza's police
force.
"We aim to entertain," Abdu said. "To help ease the
people's suffering and at the same time we deliver a message
about morals and values."
(Editing by Rebecca Harrison and Eddie Evans)
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