PALESTINIANS TIRING OF FAILED INTIFADA

Palestinians Shun Intifada Rallies - Khaled Abu Toameh (Jerusalem Post)
A rally organized in Ramallah on Wednesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the intifada was attended by fewer than 150 Palestinians. Similar rallies in other West Bank cities also drew small crowds. Organizers said they expected thousands of people to participate in the Ramallah rally, which was organized by the National and Islamic Forces, an alliance of all major Palestinian groups. In a statement marking the anniversary, imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti said, "The resistance has forced Sharon to announce his decision to unilaterally withdraw from the Gaza Strip and without any commitment on the part of the Palestinians."

ON A RELATED NOTE:

Intifada's Legacy at Year 4: A Morass of Faded Hopes - Steven Erlanger
Palestinians refer to the Israeli victory over the Arab nations in 1948 as al nakba, or the catastrophe. Some Palestinians, who thought they were on the brink of statehood four years ago, now say that the second intifada has been a second nakba. An analysis of Palestinian administration published last week by the International Crisis Group, an independent Brussels-based organization, found that "today's Palestinian predicament is decidedly domestic.'' "Recent power struggles, armed clashes, and demonstrations do not pit Palestinians against Israelis so much as Palestinians against each other; the chaos is a product not solely of Israel's policies, but of Palestinian ones as well. The political system is close to the breaking point, paralyzed and unable to make basic decisions."At least 74% of 130 attempted or successful suicide bombings originating from the West Bank so far this year were "directly controlled by Hizballah's apparatus in Beirut, with Iranian money, know-how, and weapons systems," a senior Israeli military officer said. A suicide bombing effort costs about $4,000, including payments, usually negotiated in advance, to cover the expense to a family of a funeral for the bomber, as well as payments to those willing to provide transport, documents, or shelter. (New York Times)

See also Who Governs the West Bank? Palestinian Administration under Israeli Occupation (International Crisis Group-Brussels)