Mister Pterodactyl
Monday, January 03, 2005
 
Michael Totten, writing about the recent actions of Mahmoud Abbas:

"GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that he wants to shield Palestinian militants from Israel and indicated he has no plans to crack down on gunmen after upcoming presidential elections."

I submit that this is the problem with the Palestinians: that they’re so factionalized and so dominated by groups like Hamas and Al Aqba that no politician can succeed without them. First, the militant groups command a great deal of support from common Palestinians, so if Abbas were to openly turn against Hamas he wouldn’t stand a chance. It would be like an American legislator introducing a bill to abolish high school sports. Second, any politician doing so would invite severe repercussions upon himself and his followers. The aforementioned American would at least not have to fear assassination.

I believe this is why, for example, Arafat turned away at Oslo. He knew that the militants would never agree to the accord, and without them it couldn’t stand. [Not to excuse Arafat in this; he was instrumental in creating the circumstances that caused it.]

Abbas needs the militants in order to make peace with Israel. He also needs to marginalize them to present Israel with a more moderate, more conciliatory face. He can’t do both, and neither can anybody else.

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