(Jerusalem Post) Efraim Inbar - It is unlikely that Hamas will succeed in imposing a consolidation of the militias under a united Palestinian command. The Fatah-linked militias have no intention of disarming or accepting the new authority. A full Hamas takeover of the PA is improbable as long as Hamas lacks the military muscle needed to successfully take on the Fatah militias. Rather, the most likely outcome is a tenuous power-sharing arrangement between Hamas and Fatah. Fatah-Hamas cohabitation will preserve the conditions for chaos and disorder in the PA - the existence of myriad armed gangs with loose central control. Competition among the Palestinian armed factions will assure the continuation of terrorist attacks.
2006-02-10 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive