(Ha'aretz) Danny Rubinstein - The fact that Thursday's suicide bomber in Jerusalem was a traffic policeman from Bethlehem and a member of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade says something about the state of that movement, which has long been considered the ruling party of the Palestinians. In some parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the Brigades operate as gangs of local hoodlums who have almost completely severed ties with the senior members of the movement crowded into Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah. Some young activists from Fatah in Ramallah spoke of mounting dissatisfaction with Gen. Haj Ismail Jaber, head of Palestinian General Security, for his agreement two days ago, on behalf of Arafat, with IDF Brig. Gen. Gadi Eisencott, to allow Palestinian police to resume their role of imposing law and order in Palestinian towns.
2004-01-30 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive