The Palestinians: A Disenfranchised People?

Are the Palestinians a disenfranchised people as Roger Cohen contends?  The answer is both yes, and no.  But, why this ambiguity exists can be understood only if one looks at the behavior of the Palestinian leadership, or would it be more accurate to use the word "dictatorship."

The Palestinians and the Israelis might have lived together in peace, if it had been left to the people.  But that was not to be.  Arafat, hand picked by the Egyptians, led a war against Israel under the guise of seeking an independent Palestinian nation.  Using the usual tools of all totalitarian leaders; namely, coercion and propaganda, he inculcated hostility towards Israel on the part of the Palestinians.  His two-faced successor Abbas, has followed in his footsteps.

Israel must work everyday to ensure it's survival.  Not so Arab societies.  They fight not so much to ensure  the survival of their Arab culture, but rather to gain supremacy over their ethnic Muslim groups within the context of Arab society.  It's the Sunnis versus the Shiia.  It's the secular Muslims versus the Islamists.  It's the Alawites trying to maintain their perch over all the others.  It's Fatah vs. Hamas.  It's clan against clan.  Israel's only part in this drama is that virtually all Muslims, of whatever orientation, are hostile to Jews.

It was once said that Polish anti-Semitism sprang from the mother's milk.  That may be changing.  But, Islamic hostility to Jews is easily traced to the Quran.  Giving land to Abbas changes nothing other than to weaken Israel and make it more vulnerable.

Some suggest that we should work with Fayyad rather than Abbas.  Not a bad idea, if there were the slightest chance he might ever gain a position of leadership in the Palestinian community.  Until that happens the Palestinians will continue to stew in this mess of their own making.  Israel can only stand and watch.