Thursday, January 26, 2006

The Earthquake That We Didn't Need Richter to Predict

The Hamas has won a decisive victory in the parliamentary elections in the Palestinian Authority. The radio is full of talk of the shock of this ostensibly unexpected event. The pundits are saying it's proof of disgust at the corruption of the Fatah, of popular frustration at the terrible economic conditions under which Arabs live in Palestine, and (of course) it's really Israel's fault.

I don't understand why everybody is so surprised. Palestinian Arabs are generally very religious (in orientation, if not in practice). Anyone who studies the history of the last century knows that. Fatah itself wrapped itself in Muslim imagery (though it never admitted it to the West). Arafat was Vice-Chairman of the Islamic League.

So, what's going to happen? אין לנו על מי לסמוך אלא על אבינו שבשמים

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

actually, it is probably all that -- economics, corruption, frustration. and i imagine israel has shared some of the blame.

but it is insane to elect a govt with no plan for governing. none. they have no vision for the palestinian people. none.
the fault lies, at bottom, with the palestinian people.
the depth of hatred and humiliation is beyond my comprehension. what kind of a culture could breed such an election result? i tzitter to think about it.

ah, for the days when the plo was our biggest enemy instead of our greatest hope...

Anonymous said...

אין לנו על מי לסמוך אלא על אבינו שבשמים ?

If I recall correctly, it is אין לנו על מי להשען אלא על אבינו שבשמים.