British reporter Alan Johnston was released on July 4, in Gaza City after spending 114 days in captivity. The release of the reporter by Hamas’ security apparatus, the “Executive Force,” is certainly a major achievement for the Islamic movement and its deposed government. Hamas is now sending a message to the Palestinians, mainly in the West Bank, and even more so to the international community, that it is not just an extremist movement, but rather a movement that also knows how to be pragmatic and how it resolves crises.
While euphoria prevails in the Gaza Strip and among Hamas members in the wake of the release, the opposite is true of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas stresses that a day after the takeover of Gaza and disappearance of the Palestinian Authority and its administrative and security outfits, and the Fatah’s “gangs”, the anarchy has disappeared from Gaza’s streets. Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh was quick to hurl an implied comment at Abbas: “We hope that the order, security, and end to anarchy would also reach the West Bank.”
Hamas officials demanded the release of Alan Johnston’s several hours after taking over the Gaza Strip. Hamas announced that Johnston’s release was of the utmost importance. But “Islam Army” group, the abductors of the correspondent, refused. Hamas decided to release him by force and imposed a siege on the area where the captors kept Johnston and started to arrest any person leaving the area. Then they narrowed the siege and strengthened it until the captors surrendered and asked for negotiations. Another Palestinian Resistance group, the Popular Resistance Committee, is reported to be the mediator between Hamas and the Islam Army group.
The BBC Gaza correspondent was held by the self-styled Army of Islam, militants from the powerful Dagmoush clan, which is centered on northern Gaza and has a long-running blood feud with Hamas. His release came just hours after Hamas fighters waged gun-battles with Army of Islam militants in the Gaza suburb where the journalist was believed to have been held. A senior leader of the Army of Islam, whom the group accused Hamas of having detained, was released as part of the deal. Johnston was then released to the custody of Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas.
The journalist from Scotland spoke about his ordeal. “It’s just the most fantastic thing, to be free…. It was an appalling experience, as you can imagine, 16 weeks kidnapped…. It was an extraordinary level of stress and psychological pressure for a long long time and obviously difficult to keep your mind in the right place … a constant battle…. The last 16 weeks have been the very worst of my life…. I was in the hands of people who were dangerous and unpredictable…. I literally dreamt many times of being free and always woke up back in that room….”
Further Alan Johnston added, “I thank the Palestinian people. Thank you very much, thanks you very much…. I am hugely grateful to all the people, an amazing number of people that worked on the Palestinian side, the British government, the BBC from top to bottom, and the huge amount of support from BBC listeners.”
His plight has sparked rallies and messages of support from all over the world and an online petition calling for his release has been signed by more than 170,000 people.
The Muslim Brotherhood group of Egypt has welcomed releasing the British BBC correspondent Alan Johnston by kidnappers in the Gaza Strip. In a statement Dr. Mohamed Habib, the first deputy of the Muslim Brotherhood Guidance Bureau, stated that the Muslim Brotherhood group is very happy with the news of releasing Alan Johnston and eagerly welcome such step though it has been very late, and such decision was supposed to be made long time ago. The Muslim Brotherhood wished that such incident would not be repeated again.
Dr. Habib added, “We totally condemn kidnapping acts all around the world, of journalists, reporters, or any others. Such acts are denied and rejected by Islam, and are contradicted with its true principles.”
Dr. Habib thanked all those who contributed in the process of releasing Alan Johnston, especially the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
Hamas Helps Release BBC Reporter Alan Johnston
British reporter Alan Johnston was released on July 4, in Gaza City after spending 114 days in captivity. The release of the reporter by Hamas’ security apparatus, the “Executive Force,” is certainly a major achievement for the Islamic movement and its deposed government.
