The popularity of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has fallen to an all-time low. Many West Bank Palestinians say that Abbas (73) has lost contact with the people, even in his own town of Ramallah.
Every day after the end of afternoon prayers, Ramallah's central square begins to fill with people demonstrating against the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. The crowd chants Palestinian songs and slogans. "In the name of God, we are all Palestinian. Death to Israel."
Suddenly panic breaks out and people begin to run. Tear-gas hovers above the central square as Palestinian Authority security forces arrest demonstrators. Someone was said to have been waving a Hamas flag. The Palestinian Authority does not tolerate the display of Hamas signals or the shouting of pro-Hamas slogans.
Loss of authority
President Abbas has asked the security forces to disperse demonstrations as soon as possible. The square is cleared within an hour. The demonstrators were ordered to clear the streets so as not to disrupt traffic. Lena, who lives in Ramallah, says:
"Abbas wants to show people that he is still the boss. As far as I am concerned, he has already lost all of his authority with his feeble reaction to the war in Gaza."
The popularity of Hamas in the West Bank has soared to new heights following the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. Which means a loss of support for the rival Palestinian Authority. Lena complains:
"There is a feeling of unity amongst Palestinians. But you are not allowed to show it by encouraging Hamas. Abbas only talks, but does not take any initiative. Hamas is now the leader in opposition to Israel."
Impossible position
The Palestinian president is trapped in an impossible position. Israel and the United States present him as the moderate leader of a future Palestinian state. An agreement to this effect would have stopped Hamas in its tracks. However, the failure of the last round of negotiations two years ago has left Abbas empty handed. The Palestinian president was elected to a four-year term in 2005. His term officially ended on the 9th of January, but he refuses to leave and says he will remain until 2010.
A large tent at the corner of Ramallah's central square is overflowing with food and blankets. Here relief supplies are being collected which the United Nations will take to Gaza. It is a spontaneous initiative of Ramallah residents, not the Palestinian Authority.
The Palestinian Authority started its own collection a few days ago. The tent is a short distance away - but hardly anyone donates supplies. A volunteer of the Palestinian Youth Centre in Ramallah says:
"They copied our initiative. But they are too late. Much too late. The Palestinian Authority made a big mistake at the start of the offensive. All support for Gaza was considered support for Hamas. That's not how people see things. Abbas should have understood that all Palestinians suffer from the Israeli occupation."
The volunteer, who is piling up boxes in the tent says:
"I am not a Hamas supporter. On the contrary. Still, I support my brothers in Gaza."
Abbas blames Hamas
Abbas placed all the blame on Hamas directly after the start of the Gaza offensive. He thought that if Hamas had extended the cease-fire which was officially in force until a couple of weeks ago, the Israelis would have had no excuse to begin the offensive. Abbas said shortly after the start of the Israeli bombardments:
"I specifically warned them a number of times."
But many Palestinians do not agree and are blaming Abbas for not taking a stand in support of the people in the Gaza Strip. They see the Israeli occupation as the one and only reason for the war in Gaza.
* RNW translation (fs)
Tags:
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Ramallah,
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maher,
16-01-2009
- USA
Abbas has lost his last effort and credit with the palestinians except for his own paid cronies even before this war on Gaza. Actions speaks louder than words. No one like to be taken for a a fool. Abbas and company has made a mockery of the palestinian cause: He continues to meet with Olmert while the israelis expand the settlements, destroy homes, and have detained more than 12000 palestinians between the ages of 14 -65 years old. Including over 1000 women and some with their infants in jail. He was promised to have a palestinian state from the Israelis and by the US president by 2008. We are in 2009. I will be saying the same thing in 2020 or after if we continue to depend on Abbas and his cronies who have no intention of asking for a homeland as long as they are getting rich from the aid that comes in the name of the palestinians to be invested by Abbas and company in their own personal accounts. At this time, he is waiting to get more money on the Gaza blood path.
Tracy Graves,
16-01-2009
- USA
I wish the media would go back and show how this situation started with England's administration of Palestine following WWI. The Jewish Zionist Movement wanted to create a new Israel. They were even talking about moving to South America and creating a new state. The Balfour Declaration passed in British Parlament after the advocacy of the Zionists. It opened the Palestine Mandate to unlimited immigration and began Jewish colonists' acquisition of land from a nomadic culture. After WWII, Europe and the US felt so guilty they created a new country for immigrants and took the land away from the native population. Don't you think this was immoral? The land at that time was mostly Muslim, but also Jewish and Christian. Now it is a mess and will start WWIII because of the US support of Israel due to the Cold War and Jewish lobbyists in Washington, DC.
sandra,
16-01-2009
- Nederlands
Zen, I am not surprised by your hatred towards Israel. History has not changed much in Germany, has it?
zen,
15-01-2009
- germany
Israel was and is a Fascist state artificially created by blackmailing the world using holocaust. It survives with the support of USA.
David Berridge,
12-01-2009
- Canada
This is where the rank and file of the Palestinian population is falling short of a better means of securing peace for themselves. It is fine if they do not like Abbas as their President, but to put in place terrorists to oppose an attempt to replace him or any other leader who would try to negociate a lasting peace with Israel, is only asking for trouble. Egypt and Jordan have known peace and stable relations with Israel because leaders such as Sadat and King Hussein had the vision and courage to realize that enough was enough in terms of ongoing conflict. The Palestinians themselves are going to have to demand this of whomever they choose next to lead them. There still is a way out for the Palestinians if they have the desire, patience, and courage to take hold of it. If this conflict teaches them anything it should be that an internationally backed peace settlement with Israel is the only viable means to a safe and tenable future as a recognized state.
Carlos Borjal,
12-01-2009
- USA
The problem with Hamas is that they are basically made up of grown men playing soldiers. Couple that with dumb old men as their leaders playing generals, what you have is a death wish in your hands. In other words, it's a turkey shoot for the Israelis.
Hiram,
12-01-2009
- USA
"Palestinian president has lost the last of his credit"....President Mahmoud Abbas has lost credit because he had the foresight and intelligence not to put his people's lives in danger. He understands very clearly that Hamas' terrorist acts against Israel and his outward support by force would only hurt the Palestinian cause. Abbas and his goal of destroying Israel is no different from Hamas. He is smart enough to know the time is not right. In time, he, like Hamas, will strike at Israel and Israel will spank him, also. P.S. Isn't it amazing how Israel, like the Arabian Phoenix, was appearantly destroy and burned by Rome and its people fleeing to the four-corners of the Earth returned to rebuild it from the ashes? Israel never was destroyed. She was just asleep and waiting for the time to reappear.
