Will the 'Palestinians' revolt against Abu Mazen?
Here's a blog post that claims that the 'Palestinians' are ready to bring the 'Arab spring' to Ramallah. With Friday's election deadline passing, Palestinians are growing increasingly disillusioned. An opinion poll published last month indicated that support for Hamas and Fatah has fallen to historic lows, with 50 per cent of respondents saying they would vote for neither party were an election actually to be held.The problem is that if they do revolt, it is far more likely that they will become more radical than that they will actually select a government with which Israel can do business.
Their frustration has only been compounded by the Arab Spring, which has left many Palestinians feeling they have been left behind by the democratising tide washing across the region.
Palestinians are keenly aware that while Egypt and others have discovered that real elections are chaotic and often violent affairs, they are being given a genuine choice at the ballot box for the first time.
Not only have Palestinians had that option ripped away from them, they also have a leader who has essentially been in power unconstitutionally for more than three years. Mr Abbas's term officially expired in January, 2009.
Fatah and Hamas have both blamed Israel for their woes but for many Palestinians such protests have a hint of hollowness about them -- and their leaders are aware that popular resentment towards them is reaching potentially dangerous levels.
"The embers of discontent are there and the authorities in the West Bank and Gaza are aware of this, but their reaction has been one of repression," said George Giacaman, a prominent Palestinian political analyst.
Labels: Abu Mazen, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian elections 2012
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:12 AM
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