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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (26014)	1/23/2004 10:19:21 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	Respond to of 793917

Interesting history of Arafat vs. Hamas, ending with, Many Palestinians believe that now it's too late for Arafat or any Palestinian leader to clamp down on Hamas and other radical factions. "The intifada has changed the rules of the game," a senior PA official said this week. "If we try now to arrest Hamas and Islamic Jihad members, we would be chased away with shoes and condemned as collaborators. We also have the problem that Fatah is now competing and sometimes cooperating with Hamas in carrying out attacks. We can't do anything as long as Israel is continuing with its military raids and assassinations." However, some officials in Ramallah believe that Arafat might order his forces to move against Hamas only if he knows that he would be properly rewarded. "Arafat wants recognition and an end to the US boycott," said one official. "He also wants a lot of money. This is what he has been telling visiting diplomats from all over the world. But as long as he does not get what he wants, there is no chance that he would repeat what he did in 1995 and 1996 to Hamas and Islamic Jihad." In the meantime, Hamas's popularity, especially in the Gaza Strip, is on the rise, with some experts putting it at more than 50%. By systematically avoiding a direct confrontation with Arafat, Hamas has shown the Palestinians that it is more prepared to pay a heavy price in order to maintain national unity and prevent internal strife. An increasing number of Palestinians seem to identify with the Hamas strategy. By refusing to take drastic measures against Hamas, Arafat has gradually undermined the foundations of his authority. jpost.com

To: LindyBill who wrote (26014)	1/23/2004 10:54:42 PM
From: Ilaine	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793917

Well, I hope ya'll non-Catholics will hemi-semi-demi trust me far enough to give me the reasonable doubt once I report on the movie. If I were a Jew, I prolly wouldn't be looking forward to this with anything other than trepidation. We might all have an unpleasant surprise waiting for us. I hope not. I hope that the worst we are likely to see is Christians and Jews pointing the finger at each other with respect to who, exactly, it was who asked that Christ be crucified.