(Washington Post) Joel Greenberg - While throngs have taken to the streets to oust autocratic rulers and demand political freedoms in neighboring Arab countries, protests in the West Bank and Gaza have been much more modest, and protesters have not called for the ouster of their own leaders. Abed Jabaiah, an appliance store owner, explained: PA President Mahmoud Abbas, elected in 2005, is not an autocratic ruler who has seized and held power for decades; Palestinians in the West Bank enjoy a measure of free expression; and their standard of living is better than in many neighboring Arab countries. Furthermore, the split between Hamas and Fatah also had a chilling effect on attempts to demonstrate against the leaderships in the West Bank and Gaza. Anti-government dissent in either place is often viewed as support for the rival faction. In addition, Abbas' refusal to negotiate with Israel has resonated positively among Palestinians, blunting anti-government sentiment.
2011-03-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive