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The Revolution Eats Its Own
(Jerusalem Post) Barry Rubin - It is increasingly clear that the Palestinian movement's goal remains Israel's complete destruction. Whatever average Palestinians or moderates among the leaders think, those setting the agenda - radical nationalists or Islamists - put total victory and revenge above raising their people's living standards or getting a state. Abbas gives nice interviews to the Western media explaining how he will persuade militias to give up their guns and implement development programs for Gaza, when it is obvious these things are never going to happen. Meanwhile, all the other factions - including the Islamist group Hamas and many in his own Fatah organization - openly refuse to obey him or stop attacking Israel. Indeed, Abbas did not even dare attend the celebration of Israel's withdrawal that he himself organized. About ten times more people showed up for the Hamas-sponsored festivities than for his ceremony, which hard-liners disrupted.