Friday, May 19, 2006

Diplomacy by blackmail

Pres. Abbas of the PA was invited to address the European Parliament in
Strasbourg. What he gave was a speech that bordered on blackmail. He
threatened that if the EU did not come up with the money to bail the PA out
of its financial problems, there would be an "explosion of anger" by the
Palestinians against the EU, and he was clearly threatening them. But, that
has always been the way of Palestinian diplomacy. This was vintage Arafat,
give me or else! This is how he "negotiated" with Israel, and how he
treated the Arab States, and now Abbas is extending this approach.
Abbas appealed to the EU to give the Hamas-led government a "chance to
adapt" to international requirements. In other words, ignore their refusal to
accept the three conditions laid out by the international community, give them
the money, and then wait and see what happens. As if that would help to
change their mind, since the refusal to pay their bills hasn't worked.
At the same time that this was happening, Hamas decided to deploy its new
3,000 man security force, that is supposed to protect the PA and to ensure
law and order. But, this force, that is 90% Hamas, is run by the Minister
of the Interior Said Siam. So that if the EU paid the salaries of PA
Government workers they would in fact be paying the salaries of this force!
Not to be outdone, Pres. Abbas, who believes he has sole responsibility for
PA security forces under the PA constitution, warned the Hamas Government
to disband that force, and he deployed his own Fatah security forces which
arched today through Gaza City to also protect the PA and ensure law and
order.
So now there are two mutually exclusive, armed and dangerous security forces
patrolling the PA, particularly in Gaza, trying to ensure their own supremacy.
Just yesterday two Hamas men were shot dead in southern Gaza, presumably
by Fatah security forces. If this power struggle doesn't lead to a civil war
many will be surprised. And note that this is happening while Abbas is at the
same time calling on the international community to give Hamas time and
support. Now that's chutzpah!

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