Special to WorldTribune.com

AMMAN — Egypt’s military coup could be followed by the ouster of the
Hamas movement in the neighboring Gaza Strip, a report said.

The Al Quds Center for Political Studies asserted that Hamas has become
vulnerable in wake of the coup against Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. In
a report, the center said the ouster of Morsi and the ruling Muslim
Brotherhood marked a strategic blow to the Islamist regime in the Gaza
Strip.

“Many people are wagering on the imminent collapse of the Hamas government in Gaza after it has lost its strong base of support in Cairo,” the report, titled “Hamas’ Card,” said.

Oraib Al Rantawi, director of the center, said the opposition in the Gaza Strip could be mobilizing for massive demonstrations against Hamas. Al Rantawi, regarded as close to the Jordanian intelligence community, said support for Hamas has plummeted after six years of massive human rights violations and economic decline.

“The forces opposed to Hamas in the Gaza Strip may be able to mobilize protestors similar to the [anti-Morsi] June 30 masses in a relative sense,” the report said.

But the report envisioned a Hamas campaign to neutralize any civilian
protests. The biggest option was to spark a war with Israel to force
the opposition to drop its demands.

“This card also continues to be fully effective at the national and
regional levels in terms of Hamas’ relations and alliances,” the report
said. “For example,and regardless of its hatred of Hamas or its anger with
it, the new Egyptian regime will be forced to maintain a basic minimum of
relations with the movement at least in order to deal with the moment of any
Palestinian/Israeli clash.”

The report said Hamas would also escalate tension with Israel in the
Islamist regime’s attempt to gain support from Iran and Syria. Al Oraibi
also raised the prospect that Israel would refrain from any invasion of the
Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas.

“After all, Hamas in power has something to lose that it wishes to
preserve,” the report said. “It is thus an address that Israel can target.
By contrast, an underground Hamas would have nothing of the sort.”

  Gaza Strip, Hamas could be next to fall, Muslim Brotherhood, Report: After Morsi ouster, Report: Morsi’s ouster in Egypt could topple Hamas