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Is Another Intifada in the Works?

(Al Jazeera) Sharif Nashashibi - In the West Bank, current conditions are not ripe for another uprising, particularly compared with those that existed 14 years ago at the time of the last uprising. An intifada would require a level of national unity that simply does not exist today. Whereas previous intifadas have been directed solely at Israel, another one may well also target the Palestinian Authority. There is widespread public frustration at its failure to improve the daily lives of its people, or to bring them any closer to statehood. Also, with the Palestinian geographic split, Gaza is now hermetically sealed off, its people are physically unable to challenge Israeli authority. This excludes half the population from any cohesive national struggle. Moreover, previous intifadas were supported by Palestinian leaders. But it seems the PA would actively oppose another one. Foreign Minister Riad Malki has said that as long as Abbas is in charge, "there will be no third intifada." For all its bluster, Hamas is in no position currently to take part in an uprising. It suffered heavy losses in Gaza, and has been driven underground in the West Bank by Israel and the PA. The national unity deal stipulates a formal return of Hamas to the West Bank, so the faction may not want to jeopardize this, particularly with opinion polls showing that it would win presidential and parliamentary elections, which are the end goal of the deal.
2014-10-03 00:00:00
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