[Ha'aretz] Danny Rubinstein - The siege imposed by Israel and countries throughout the world, as well as by Arab nations and Fatah - Hamas' Palestinian rivals - has been unable to change Hamas' ideological positions, which are based on an infrastructure of radical Islam. Public opinion surveys in the West Bank and Gaza have recently shown a weakening of Hamas, and the Palestinian public seems to be sending the message: We elected you in order to lead reforms in the government and demonstrate pride and determination vis-a-vis Israel, but not to transform Palestine into a branch of Iran. Hamas will not surrender easily, and it is hard to see a political Palestinian element that will face down Hamas and replace it in the government. The Fatah leadership is dismembered, and there is not an inkling of the start of reforms in the movement that were promised some time ago.
2006-10-09 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive