Israel Matzav

The more things change...

Khaled Abu Toameh reports that Hamas and Fatah are pushing for another intifada against Israel to cover up for their own failure to reach a reconciliation agreement (Hat Tip: Act for Australia).

The two rival Palestinian parties are hoping that Palestinians would turn their anger and frustration toward Israel and not toward either of them.

This is why over the past few weeks leaders and officials representing Hamas and Fatah have been talking about a third intifada that is about to erupt in the West Bank and Gaza Strip against Israel.

Both Hamas and Fatah have been urging Palestinians to step up "popular resistance" against Israel.

The two parties are telling Palestinians that Israel does not want peace or a two-state solution and is only interested in maintaining control over Palestinian lands and "Judaizing" Jerusalem.

The stepped-up anti-Israel rhetoric has resulted in a sharp increase in Palestinian violence against IDF soldiers and settlers in the West Bank and Israeli policemen in east Jerusalem.

Well, I'm sure glad that Hamas and Fatah can agree on something. We wouldn't want them throwing each other off the roofs of buildings, would we?

Of course, Haaretz (with a boost from Israel's Leftist-dominated Foreign Ministry) is already getting set up to blame the future intifada on the lack of 'progress' in the 'peace talks.'

The ministry's intelligence report, which was presented a few weeks ago to the ministers in the security cabinet, runs more than 50 pages. Parts of the report were obtained by Haaretz, including the sections relating to the Palestinians, ties with Jordan and Egypt and the Iranian nuclear issue.

The assessment puts forth a scenario of a third intifada breaking out during 2012, either as a result of a Palestinian Authority leadership decision or as a popular uprising influenced by the wave of revolutions in the Arab world.

"On the ground, at this point, neither the Palestinian leadership nor public opinion seems to want a violent escalation with Israel," the report states. "Still, the continuing freeze of the diplomatic process, combined with any drastic Israeli moves in the military and/or economic realm and the continuing stormy situation in the Middle East, could bring about a change in this approach."

The report states that the Palestinian leadership does not see the Israeli government as a partner with which it can make progress on the peace process. Therefore, the report says, PA President Mahmoud Abbas worked to increase the involvement of the international community in the events of the West Bank and Gaza.

According to the report, the PA is interested in working with the rest of the world to obtain better opening terms for any future negotiations with Israel.

And this time, they warn, Egypt might not take too kindly to an Israeli invasion of Gaza. As if the Egyptians are in any position to go to war with us right now and would go to war with us for the sake of the 'Palestinians.'

Well, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The Arabs continue to use Israel as a way to keep their own populations in line.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, Third intifada

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:39 AM