(Ha'aretz) Danny Rubinstein - The Hamas leaders who have orchestrated the terror attacks of recent years have openly stated their intention to continue the campaign following the disengagement - and you can believe them. Hamas spokesmen are demanding that the PA be given responsibility for land, sea, and air crossings. For if not, "anywhere in which an Israeli presence remains in Gaza will be deemed by us a Gazan 'Shaaba Farm' [an area still claimed by Hizballah after Israel's UN-recognized withdrawal from Lebanon]," as Hamas leader Khaled Mashal said. It appears that among Hamas, as is the case among the Palestinian public in general, there is a desire to begin rehabilitation and development enterprises in Gaza. The bad news is that Hamas activists are promising to take the violent struggle to the West Bank and Jerusalem. All the organization's leaders are saying this at every opportunity. One can speak of a period of relative quiet that will continue perhaps until the end of the year and the Palestinian elections. And then - a new outbreak of violence.
2005-08-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive