Monday, July 19, 2004

No sir, Yasser Arafat.
 
Slate points out something of interest today:
 
In effect, three parallel developments are taking place: Arafat's effort to reform (or pretend to reform) his tentacular security apparatus under outside pressure; growing discontent among many Palestinian groups at their leader's autocratic rule; and an inter-Palestinian struggle for power over areas of the Gaza Strip that Israel has said it would withdraw from by the end of next year.

 
That last sentence might underline the Palestinian resistance to the pullout, which on its face looks like something that the PLO would welcome. Instead, they said it would be a "unilateral" move. It also further underlines the Israeli contention that there is no one to negotiate with on the Palestinian side. If Israel pulls out of Gaza, and the unrest continues despite this, the Israelis can easily say "Look, they cannot control their own lands!" and its true. They can't. The PLO have a multitude of armed, inept, corrupt and violent groups vying for control.
 
Do they really wonder why the fence was built?

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