Turning Point If the spread of the confrontations to the West Bank including Jerusalem continues, it could be a game-changer. The intensification of the clashes throughout Palestine would break the isolation of Gaza and expand the landscape of conflict towards Israeli-populated areas, including Jerusalem and the settlements. This will give momentum to a new popular uprising, and possibly one that could be far from peaceful depending on the attitude of the Palestinian Authoritys security forces. All of which leaves the door wide open for whole new scenarios that are no less dramatic. On the one hand, it could lead to internal strife among Palestinians on the West Bank, leaving both Abbas and Hamas weakened. Or inversely, it could galvanise the Palestinians around the resistance, a situation that could either undermine the Israeli government, or provide the pretext for Netanyahu to destroy the PA institutions as Ariel Sharon did in 2002. Any which way, a return to the status quo ante is no longer possible. Nor can US allies impose another ceasefire arrangement on the Palestinians without taking into full consideration their legitimate demand to live free of military siege and occupation. Its clear that Israel could break up Palestine into miserable enclaves, but it cannot break its resistance or its passion for freedom from occupation. Israels most ardent enemy, Hamas, was getting marginalised; now its central to any future arrangements in Palestine. And Israels most reliable ally and security partner in the history of the conflict, Abbas, has been terribly weakened and might not be able to recover without massive western and Egyptian intervention to impose him on the Palestinians. Netanyahu was flying high just a few weeks ago, now hes flying low, even crawling towards a ceasefire. Arrogance all too often breeds stupidity. - Marwan Bishara
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 17:16:51 +0000
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