I am not one of those who can gloat over the incipient (or already existing) civil war in Gaza between Fatah and Hamas. It’s hard to imagine in our times two more hideous adversaries. In Iraq, where civil war is said to loom, there are good guys (today, it seems, a fair number of good guys), but the Palestinians are perpetually stuck between “tyrant duke and tyrant brother”. Of course, they have made their own bed to a great extent. Still the news that Hamas has apparently tried to murder the Fatah intelligence chief signals things have gone from bad to Medici worse (without the art). The NYT reports the Fatah man was taken to a Tel Aviv hospital to save his leg. I wonder how the Palestinians react to that. Reading Michael Totten’s post of yesterday I was reminded how complex, often sad and resigned, their thinking can be beneath the surface. That one of their leaders had to be taken to Israel for treatment (an old story, actually) probably only increases their shame. To the clear-thinking mind it should be a wakeup call. This is a society that should be building hospitals, not bombs. But then maybe, at base, they don’t really want progress. Now there’s a depressing thought.
UPDATE: According to Hamas, they’re not at fault. It’s “butter fingers.” [At least they didn't blame Israel. That's progress.-ed. Yes... so far.]
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9 Comments
1. Grokodile:Sigh. The problem is that once the thugs have banded together into gangs, whether or not you attach offical sounding political names, the regular populace hasn’t a chance.
For example, how can any decent political party rise to power in a system where lawlessness prevails. Obviously, if the people are about to start getting behind a rival party, the gangs can just wipe them out.
I think perhaps that peace prevails over anarchy only when the peacefully finally embrace warfare en masse and impose peace by force. A little ironic perhaps, but it explains why it happens so rarely once situations have spiralled out of control.
May 20, 2006 - 10:15 am 2. Kevin Peters:Roger:
May 20, 2006 - 12:05 pm 3. David Thomson:I an not jumping for joy at the thought of a palestinian cival war either but if it happens lets face the fact that this is the way that the palestinians handle things. You are on the opposite side of the political fence, fine, we will kill you. Are Fatah and Hamas pressing for negotiations to “stop the cycle of violence”? No, it will probably be a fight to the death. And this is the same style of politics that they will use to deal with Israel.Submit, or die.
ìThat one of their leaders had to be taken to Israel for treatment (an old story, actually) probably only increases their shame.î
This is almost certainly the truth of the matter. The Palestinians are mired in self pity and victimhood. They are not likely thankful for Israeli assistance of any kind. On the contrary, it increases their sense of bitterness and entitlement. Iíve long said that this area of the world cannot improve until the Arab militants are either killed or jailed. Sadly, a lot of blood is going to have to be shed. Israel is best to stay out of the way and let the crazed Palestinians kill each other off.
ìAre Fatah and Hamas pressing for negotiations to “stop the cycle of violence”? No, it will probably be a fight to the death.î
There is no hope for peace. The hard core militants are existentially committed to death and destruction. They are similar to rabid dogs who can never again live normally among human beings. The so-called moderates can do nothing to stop the impending horror.
May 20, 2006 - 2:19 pm 4. Doug S.:But is this not as Sharon foresaw when he built the wall? It’s a sad spectacle, to be sure, but it seems to be playing out according to Israel’s plan.
May 21, 2006 - 1:57 am 5. pastorius:The guy quoted in the Totten article did not vote in the elections, because he recognized the idiocy of the choice between Fatah and Hamas. He was also somewhat pro-Israel, and pro-America. He did not at all reflect the average Palestinian, who enthusiastically supports the aformentioned parties.
Of course, Palestinians are people too, and so it isn’t right to gloat over their suffering, even if they do bring it on themselves. But, it is very important to recognize that they do, in fact, bring it on themselves, just as the German people brought it on themselves back in the thirties and forties. Actually, the Palestinians did actually give a majority of the vote to Hamas. I don’t think Hitler ever won a majority vote, so, well, you know.
May 21, 2006 - 6:24 am 6. Vulgorilla:So let me see if I understand this. There is a war going on between Fatah and Hamas? Is this supposed to be bad? What is the down side here? Now they’re spending their time trying to blow each other up rather than Israelis in a crowded market square. My fondest hope is that both sides (Fatah and Hamas) are successful beyond their wildest dreams. The world should be so lucky.
May 21, 2006 - 6:42 am 7. TomTom:He got to Israel for treatment to save his leg? The only way this makes sense for Israel is if the fatah intel chief is wrung out like a sponge by Israel intel, and then granted the right of return to Gaza. But don’t count on it.
May 21, 2006 - 7:31 am 8. Gary Rosen:I’m sure there is someone reading this going “How can you blame the Palestinians for their own troubles, they are so oppressed, blaming the victim etc. …”. Let me point out some little-known facts. Some of the most basic measures of well-being for a country are life expectancy, infant mortality, and literacy rate. By these measures, Palestinians on the West Bank and Gaza are much better off than the people of … IRAN! Yes, *that* Iran which is spending so much money to get nuclear weapons to “wipe Israel off the map”, presumably for the benefit of the Palestinians.
The blunt fact of the matter is that the West Bank and Gaza were impoverished places before the occupation and living conditions have greatly improved under Israeli rule. This does not entirely mitigate their lack of political rights, but they have not been treated nearly as horribly as people are led to believe (not to mention that most Arabs in *Arab* countries have few political rights). This conflict could have been resolved long ago were it not for intransigence on the part of the Arabs, who bear about 99% of the blame for its perpetuation.
May 21, 2006 - 9:48 am 9. Ripper:I rejoice in the coming Palestinian civil war since when monsters kill monsters they have less time to kill Jews. It is that sinmple. If it were not the fact that the Nazis murdered millions of civilians in the Soviet Union – a war between Hitler and Stalin would have saved mankind if the two monsters drained each other. I always thought that it was a mistake for Reagan to have worked to end the Saddam Hussein – Ayatollah Khomeini War of 1980-88.
May 21, 2006 - 11:31 am