Daily Alert Archives

Rules of the Game, Palestinian-Style

[Jerusalem Post] Barry Rubin - Several Fatah security force officers assigned to protect Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as he went to meet with PA head Mahmoud Abbas, at the end of June, planned to assassinate him instead. There is a supposedly moderate leadership running the PA and Fatah, and this kind of thing is still happening. The would-be assassins were Fatah - not Hamas, and they were quickly released by PA authorities before outside pressure forced their re-arrest. The PA has never really punished anyone for murdering or trying to kill an Israeli or for attacking Israel. The rules of Palestinian politics are fatal to the hope of getting a Palestinian state, of the Palestinian polity becoming more moderate, of ending terrorism, or stopping even officially sponsored PA incitement. The rules are: Palestinians cannot stop other Palestinians from attacking Israel. To do so would be betraying the cause, becoming Israel's lackey. He who is most militant is always right. Extremism equals heroism. This is one reason why Fatah has such a difficult time competing with Hamas. More violence is good and a "victory" if it inflicts casualties or damage on Israel. No Israeli government can do anything good. Olmert is no better than anyone else even as he offers to accept a Palestinian state. Since Palestinians are the perpetual victim they are entitled to everything they want and never need to give anything in exchange for Israeli concessions. Wiping Israel off the map is morally correct. It is more important to be steadfast and patient with a terrible status quo than to make big gains by ending the conflict forever. These are some of the reasons why the Palestinian side cannot - and will not - reach for peace or keep existing commitments very well. Even if a handful of top Palestinians want to reach agreement with Israel, they cannot - and dare not - violate these commandments.
2007-10-31 01:00:00
Full Article