Why bring this up now? Why make fresh accusations that are sure to cause tensions with the Israelis instead of smoothing things over and playing the role of the cool-headed “moderate” faction that is open to peaceful coexistence? With Barack Obama in the White House, isn’t Fatah on the brink of greater success than ever? Isn’t it true that all Abbas and Company has to do is play the game, send the right signals about desiring peace, and all sorts of goodies will fall into their laps?
Maybe. But they’re behaving as if they don’t even have to pretend to want peace. They’re behaving like people who know that a more belligerent stance will cost them nothing. And indeed, that does seem to be the case in regard to Barack Obama.
“Israel to blame for Arafat death: Fatah,” by John Lyons for The Australian, August 8 (thanks to all who sent this in):
THE ruling faction of the Palestinian Authority has formally blamed Israel for the “assassination” of Yasser Arafat, one of the founders of the Fatah party.
At the party’s conference in Bethlehem yesterday, delegates unanimously passed a resolution blaming Israel for Arafat’s death and setting up a committee to investigate the death.
The committee will be led by Arafat’s nephew, Nasser el-Kidweh.
Israelis seized on the resolution saying it suggested Palestinians were not serious about negotiating with Israel for a two-state solution.
Indeed. Because they’re going to get everything they want anyway, courtesy of the President of the United States.