What's New in Gaza?

Yesterday the media reported undeniable signs of the breakdown of Hamas rule in Gaza. Deep fissures have appeared in the organization's hierarchy, with extremist elements shoving aside Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas International to dictate a hard line. This military wing of the organization is planning a Hamas takeover of the West Bank as well, while the 'moderates' evidently have concluded that the coup in Gaza was a huge mistake. Amidst all this intrigue Hamas fired directly into a crowd of 200,000 Fatah supporters who came out to commemorate the three-year anniversary of Yasser Arafat's death, killing at least seven people and wounding fifty-five.

Not a few in Israel are rubbing their hands maliciously over the disintigrating violence amongst the Palestinian factions, victorious in yet more resounding proof of the barbarity of our enemies. When Lebanese Christian Phalangists murdered Palestinians in Sabra and Shatila Menahem Begin famously quipped, "Goyim kill goyim and the Jews get blamed." Although violent infighting is a deeply ingrained aspect of Palestinian political culture, in this case we can conclude that "goyim kill goyim and the Jews pay the price." The chaos and violence in the Palestinian camp is not beneficial to Israel - on the contrary. The Palestinian leadership vacuum and the apparent inablity of our neighbors to put aside tribal, sectarian interests for far-reaching nationalist aspirations means we are further from an agreement than ever.

Some pundits in Israel are still awaiting the White Knight of Palestinian national redemption, a charismatic, powerful and pragmatic leader who will claw his way to the top of the Palestinian political heap and create order from the chaos and a political horizon from the bickering. Some say that if Israel would just release Marwan Barghouti from prison, he could do the job. When I read these desperate pleas I'm reminded of a conversation I had not long ago with a Palestinian associate of mine from work.
"Tell me," I entreated him, "Which Palestinian political figure do you most identify with?"
"Not a single one of them," he snarled. "They're all corrupt. The really honest ones are either forced out or killed."
When I asked him what the future held he just shrugged. If Palestinians cannot be idealistic about their own leadership then Israel is downright foolish to search for a light at the end of the tunnel. Leading the Palestinians is as simple as herding a collection of street-wise tomcats.

But what can the Israeli politicians say to the people who want a peace process, who are tired of living at war and willing to make considerable concessions? That there's no one to talk to? It makes us look bad, so we'll fly to Annapolis and and go through the motions of the political process, knowing all the while that what we pretend to accomplish there might end up causing more damage than the controlled inertia we have managed until now.

It's hard not to be cynical but I still retain a glimmer of optimism. Olmert's political butt is in a sling and he needs a significant achievement to erase the damage of the second Lebanon War. In addition, the American political window is narrowing. The Bush administration has been the warmest and most understanding of Israel in the history of the two countries' relations. Our prime minister views the waning days of this presidency as the last chance to achieve significant progress with American backing. Perhaps we will yet be surprised...