– THE NUTS MERCHANT

 

 

The cease fire declared between Israel and the Hamas, on 06/19/2008, is naturally very fragile because of deep mistrust between the parties, the experience from recent declared cease fires, which held only for a few hours and the large number of factions on the Palestinian side, each one with its own agenda.

Indeed on 06/20/2008 night three mortar shells were fired toward the Israeli Kibbutz Nahal Oz causing no damage or casualties. The Hamas is keen to benefit international legitimization and demonstrate its authority – launched a swift investigation.

It turned out that a nuts merchant from Gaza stuck with a large stock of low quality nuts smuggled from Egypt hoped to exploit the shortage in Gaza and benefit by selling his merchandize at a much higher price in besieged Gaza. The cease fire and the expectations to lift the siege, which would dump Gaza with all kinds of goods, including cheap high quality nuts imported from Israel, could cause him high losses.

The nuts merchant, a member of one of the most powerful clans in Gaza, persuaded two members of his clan and activists in one of the Palestinian factions, to prevent the cease fire from lasting long and to shoot some mortar shells toward Israel, hoping to ignite a chain of events that would bring upon the collapse of the cease fire for his own benefit.

The merchant and his two associates were arrested by the Hamas in an effort to keep the cease fire but the fragile situation in which every one with a gun and with an agenda can put Gaza back in flame remains.

 

 

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