WAITING ON THE STRANGE AND MOURNFUL DAY:

Palestinian Politics: Onward and Downward (Barry Rubin, March 23, 2008 , GLORIA)

For many in the West, moderation is like gravity: it's impossible to reject. Yet that's precisely what Palestinian politics do. Three factors fuel this trend.

First, Fatah and the PA continue to be corrupt, incompetent, and incapable of self-reform.

Second, given the cult of violence and total victory dominating Palestinian political culture Hamas is inevitably seen as heroic because it fights and rejects compromise. Based on underestimating Israel (always seen on the verge of collapse) and overestimating their own forces (heroic martyrs aided by history and deity), they expect to win. Compromise is treason; moderation is cowardice. This is the daily fare of Palestinian ideology and politics, purveyed by leaders, clerics, media, and schools.

Abbas tells his people and others that, as he said recently to an Islamic summit, Palestinians "are facing a campaign of annihilation" by Israel. The U.S. State Department merely calls this "overheated political rhetoric," not comprehending that such talk by Abbas incites terrorism and forecloses his own options.

It's easy to justify violence but hard to rationalize making peace with those you say are committing genocide against you. That's why the PA does things like letting "imprisoned" terrorists who murdered two Israeli hikers to "escape." Every such terrorist is seen by both the PA and public opinion as a hero.

Third, due to its own weakness and the strong political culture it never challenges, the current leadership cannot make peace. They know, contrary to Western claims, that negotiating a political solution would destroy them, and act accordingly.

Yet Israel continues to waste time and effort trying to prop up the PLO.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 1, 2008 7:44 AM