(New York Times) Steven Erlanger - The PA may look like a failed state even before it becomes one. "All the chaos is coming from inside the PA and Fatah," said Khaled Duzdar, a Palestinian analyst at the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information. A senior Israeli intelligence officer said, "Hamas wants Israel gone and they want to keep the means of terror. Yet they are allowed into the political process by those who believe that afterwards, for some unknown reason, Hamas will change its soul or that Abu Mazen can deal with them." "Anyone who thinks Hamas will become pragmatic if they win and it will be easier to settle the conflict is unrealistic," Duzdar said. "Hamas will never shift or change its charter or agenda." Duzdar and the senior Israeli intelligence officer say they think Hamas will get 45% or more of the seats - if the election is allowed to proceed.
2006-01-09 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive