Monday, September 13, 2010

PA has its Back to the Wall


Analysis by Mel Frykberg

"BANI NAIM, Occupied West Bank, Sep 13, 2010 (IPS) - The village of Bani Naim, near Hebron in the southern West Bank, was under curfew and sealed off by Israeli soldiers stationed in troop carriers and jeeps, as peace talks continued in Washington.

The only way IPS was able to enter was by taking a circuitous route over a dirt-track through another village. Upon entry nervous Israeli soldiers pointed their guns and demanded identification.

The previous night had been fitful. During the early hours of the morning, dozens of Palestinian Authority (PA) jeeps, security vans and police cars could be seen and heard racing up and down a main road leading to the PA's main interrogation centre in Al-Bireh, bordering Ramallah, where political opponents are interrogated and tortured....

More militant Palestinian groups including the Islamic Jihad and Hamas have warned that the armed struggle is on again [Until Hamas is invited to the "talks"??] and have sworn to carry out more attacks despite the wave of arrests. Israeli security officials have also warned of pending attacks....

Another possibility is that the PA will maintain its tenuous grip on power as Palestinians grow ever more disillusioned. Further armed attacks against Israeli settlers could take place which would weaken the Palestinian cause.

These attacks would lead to massive retaliation by Israel along the lines of the last military assault on Gaza. World opprobrium would follow and strengthen the growing Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel....."

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