Calling the Israeli bluff

March 3, 2007

Calling the Israeli bluff

IT IS disturbing to note the delay in formation of a Palestinian national unity government. A cabinet line-up was expected to be announced on Friday, but both Fatah and Hamas said they need more time to do so.
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas had asked the two groups to present names ahead of a planned meeting on Saturday with President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah in the Gaza Strip.
Again, there is no assurance that the Abbas-Haniyeh meeting would produce an agreement on the names. There was no immediate explanation for the delay and it was unclear how long it would take before a cabinet would be announced.
The only consolation, if any, is the pledge by both Hamas and Fatah that they are committed to forming a national unity government and that they would work on it intensely. Obviously, there is awareness on the two sides that there are opponents seeking to exploit opportunities and delays in order to scuttle last month's Makkah agreement that was a watershed in the intra-Palestinian feud and bloodshed that had cast the darkest cloud ever over the Palestinian struggle for independence from Israel's brutal military occupation of their land and people.
What we have seen since the Makkah agreement was signed clearly shows that Hamas and Fatah are serious about coming together on a common platform although it might not encompass all aspects of their different political ideologies. However, the seriousness we have seen so far is enough to give the Arab and Muslim worlds hope that Palestinian blood would not be shed in intra-Palestinian feuds and serve the interests of the occupation power.
On the other hand, Israel is continuing its provocation as if with a view to draw Palestinian militants to launch actions that would further strengthen its argument against dealing with a Palestinian government that includes Hamas.
Its persistent raids against Palestinian towns and killing and detention of Palestinians seem to be designed to anger Palestinian groups into launching anti-Israeli attacks. Particularly disturbing was the murder of an Islamic Jihad leader and two others last week. Eyewitness accounts say that an undercover force in Jenin opened fire on a vehicle and killed Ashraf Al Saadi, 25, a senior Jihad leader, and Alaa Breiki, 26.
A third Palestinian, Mohammed Abu Naasa, 22, was wounded in the shooting, but an Israeli soldier finished him off with a bullet to the head, according to eyewitnesses.
These are kind of incidents which are designed to provoke the Palestinians.
Until now, the Palestinians have not responded with violence to the Israeli provocation, but it does not mean that they would stay put either.
In the meantime, every moment of delay in the formation of a Palestinian cabinet would be exploited by Israel and its agents in order to create new fait accompli in the occupied territories.
Hamas, Fatah and all other Palestinian groups should but be aware of the pitfall they face if they continue to haggle over cabinet positions. What is at stake is perhaps the only chance for them to call Israel's bluff that they could not get their act together.