Chaos in Palestine

The Shelling of Israel Continues; Assassination Attempt on Prime Minister; Clashes Between Fatah and Hamas; New Elections?

Fatah versus Hamas

Palestine is reeling. Fatah and Hamas are clashing recently in violence that leads to fears of a civil war.

Background

Palestine is evenly divided between Fatah, and Hamas control of the government, with Hamas having a slight majority, but Fatah owning the presidency. Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and is banned in Jordan. According to the US State Department, the group is funded by Iran, Palestinian expatriates, and private benefactors in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. In a 2002 report, Human Rights Watch stated that Hamas' leaders "should be held accountable for the war crimes and crimes against humanity" that have been committed by its members.

Attack on the Prime Minister

Haniya unhurt in convoy shooting: BBC NEWS.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of the ruling party Hamas was unhurt after his convoy came under fire in Gaza on Friday, officials said. Relatives of a member of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement killed in recent factional fighting opened fire, officials said. No-one was hurt, but one of the cars in the convoy was torched, witnesses said.

Then, Hamas accuses rival of PM attack: BBC NEWS.

Hamas has accused a key figure in the rival Fatah faction of trying to assassinate Ismail Haniyeh, the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority and a senior political leader of Hamas, as he returned to Gaza from Egypt. Hamas accused Mohammad Dahlan of orchestrating the attack.

Clashes have now broken out between Hamas and Fatah supporters in Gaza City and the West Bank town of Ramallah.


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Violence

Surrounded by bodyguards, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh from Hamas spoke during a rally at the Yarmouk in Gaza City, Friday, Dec. 15, 2006. Mr Haniya said: "We know who opened fire."

Protesters have set up camp outside President Abbas' home.

Security forces loyal to Fatah clashed with Hamas in Ramallah.

Violence follows Hamas accusation: BBC NEWS.

Clashes have erupted between rival Palestinian factions after Hamas accused Fatah of trying to assassinate Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas. Hamas accused a senior Fatah figure of organizing an attack on Mr Haniya as he crossed into Gaza from Egypt.

Medical sources in the West Bank town of Ramallah said 32 people had been injured in clashes there. Fighting was also reported in Gaza City.

And, Killing of 3 Young Children Worsens Palestinian Tension: New York Times, By GREG MYRE, Published: December 12, 2006

Gunmen sprayed a car with bullets Monday morning in Gaza City, killing three young brothers, ages 3 to 9, who were the sons of a senior Palestinian security officer. The shootings further inflamed an already tense situation among Palestinian factions locked in a political power struggle.

Despair deepens amid Gaza's strife, by Alan Johnston, BBC News, Gaza.

One Palestinian mother said, "We want to shout, 'Stop! It's enough - what's happening in Gaza.' "We live in chaos and lawlessness."

New Elections?

President Mahmoud Abbas, the Fatah party leader, is seen as a moderate in comparison with Hamas, despite Fatah's history of violence and terrorism. He has denounced Hamas' policies of not recognizing Israel and of continuing to shell Israel despite Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. This Hamas intransigence has brought the international withholding of funds from the Palestinian Authority, halving the income of most Palestinians. Abbas is threatening to call new elections to "let the people voice their opinion on matters."

Abbas said, "Gaza is free of occupation, but there are no investors and no prosperity," he said. "We dreamed that [Gaza] would prosper and dozens of investors from all over the world came to Gaza. Nothing has come to fruition. We decided it was better to fire rockets. Israel left, said goodbye, and instead of [Gaza] remaining calm and flourishing, there are those that still prefer to fire rockets."

Democracy Does Not always Lead to Peace

In the meantime, Same old Fatah means victory for Hamas: Jerusalem Post, by KHALED ABU, Analysis:

Hamas leaders have reacted to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's threat to call early legislative and presidential elections by declaring that they have nothing to fear at the ballot boxes. Abbas, according to his top aides, is seriously considering the possibility of holding new elections as soon as March 2007.

Hamas, which ran in the January 2006 parliamentary election for the first time, says it is so confident that its members will win a second vote that it is also now studying the possibility of contesting the presidential election.

But Hamas has made it known that it will participate in new elections only if the movement receives assurances that the vote will be conducted in a free and democratic atmosphere.

The main reason why Hamas is not afraid to run in another election is because Abbas's rival Fatah party has failed to reform itself and get rid of those officials who were voted out because of their role in financial corruption and abuse of power.

Democracy and Peace

As in Iraq, there is no peace within Palestine because of democracy. Plus, there is no tranquility for Israel because of democracy in Palestine. Too bad. The world would be better off if democracy always led to just societies that live in internal harmony and were friendly to their neighbors.

This goal, though, is not without merit, perhaps, in the long run. After all, a country might tire of violence and hatred and actually vote in new officials who do want peace. In fact, Palestine could be such a place, if Fatah ever reforms itself and earns the people's trust again. It's possible.

Conclusion

As is usual in a democracy, it is up to the people whom they elect. Then, it is up to whom they elect to create policy. Then, Israel and the U.S. must decide how to react to the elected government and the policies they enact. What is Israel to do if, after they have withdrawn from Gaza, the majority party in Gaza refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, and continues shelling its citizens? This is the conundrum Israel has faced for years, while the world condemns them, and sympathizes with the Palestinians.

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Rock

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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