Israel Matzav

Hamas' crash and burn

Haaretz reports that Hamas was unsuccessful in bringing out many demonstrators to 'protect al-Aqsa' over the weekend despite an entire week of incitement by Hamas and by the Islamic Movement's Northern Front. Here's why:

There are many reasons for this. The residents of the West Bank are tired of violent confrontations, no less when their living conditions are improving, many roadblocks are being lifted and law and order in the Palestinian towns has been restored. Hamas may declare a "Day of Rage," but such days are rare nowadays in the West Bank. Desperation has been made more comfortable.

Second, there has been a lack of leadership and no one is out there capable of rallying the masses and organizing demonstrations at more than one place at the same time. The Islamic Movement is absent from the West Bank, Hamas avoids taking action, fearing that the Palestinian Authority would take action against it, and Fatah makes do with a declaration of a general strike on a Friday - the day considered to be the day off.

It seems the only people complaining about the choice of Friday are school students, who prefer to have a school day off. One of the main Fatah figures for organizing demonstrations in 2000 was not sure whether demonstrations for Al-Aqsa had been planned in Ramallah. "I don't think so," he said.

One thing is certain: There is a growing divide between the Palestinians in the West Bank and those in the Gaza Strip, as Fatah and Hamas become entrenched in their respective enclaves.

Read the whole thing.

It sounds like the 'Palestinians' in Judea and Samaria may actually believe they have something to lose if they resort to violence. If so, we have made progress.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:03 PM