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Middle East Analysis

Between Rockets and Hard Places

By Avi Issacharoff (Haaretz)

posted on 03/14/08

PM Olmert, President Bush & President Abbas (AP)
The assessment of senior PA people in Ramallah is that if Hamas enters into a ceasefire, its popularity will suffer severe damage: It will no longer be a fighting 'resistance' organization, but rather a political movement that arrives at agreements with 'the Zionist entity' in order to ensure the well-being of its leaders.

[O]ne of the senior people in the PA explained to Haaretz that for the first time since his election, Abu Mazen is clearly pessimistic as to the chances of success in the negotiations. "He has not despaired, but look at what the government of Israel has done until now: No roadblocks have been lifted, every few days the army enters one of the West Bank towns and kills someone, you have succeeded in damaging the capability of our security mechanisms that are trying to act to restore quiet to the West Bank, and worst of all—construction in the Jewish settlements is continuing."

The feeling at government headquarters was that Israel is trying in every possible way to damage the PA’s ability to function in the West Bank, and that in many respects it is easier for the State of Israel to claim that "there is no partner on the other side." Access the full article>>