1. Kifner argues that Arafat's popularity plummeted as a result of the Bethlehem settlement. Up to that point, he was viewed as a courageous fighter; after that, not.
Two things were at work here. First, the rally-round-the-flag response to Arafat's imprisonment stopped, and people came out to survey the damage. This would have hurt Arafat's popularity with or without the Bethlehem deal. Second, the deal was viewed as a sell-out. But they still seem to feel that Arafat is important to have as a symbol, or something. How this serial disaster has persuaded the Palestinians of his irreplaceability is beyond me.
Where does Hamas fit into this mix? Do they have enough power to alter this lineup?
I don't know. If Hamas, and its main technique, suicide bombing, are regarded as the strongest Palestinian weapon, they might. And while they live, they retain the power to derail settlements by blowing them up. But they too have been hurt by Operation Defensive Shield, because no Palestinian organization was able to effectively oppose it.
A new poll shows that Palestinian support for suicide bombings is dropping, though still pretty high:
Support for bombings inside Israel fell to 52 percent from 58 percent in December, according to a poll conducted last week by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research.
But 86 percent of the 1,317 adults polled in the West Bank and Gaza Strip opposed arresting those behind such attacks, while 67 percent, up from 61 percent in December, believed that armed action was more effective than negotiations.
Seventy percent supported reconciliation with the Israeli people after reaching a peace agreement based on the establishment of a Palestinian state recognized by Israel
haaretzdaily.com |
