March 23, 2004

Sheik Yassin fallout

The Ever Wonderful (PBUHN) Allah links to some interesting news regarding the recent departure of one of his servants: From Yahoo/India: bq. Israeli killing of Hamas leader may weaken Arafat "I could be next," Palestinian President Yasser Arafat told aides on hearing Israel had assassinated Hamas militant leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. bq. Palestinian officials and analysts said Arafat should be worrying more about his grip on power after the end of Yassin. bq. They said Yassin's death may weaken what little hold Arafat's Palestinian Authority (PA), plagued by corruption and disarray, retains on the West Bank and Gaza as Hamas rides widespread rage to greater heights of popularity. bq. Yassin's grassroots Islamist movement has gained ground on Arafat's PA over more than three years of conflict with Israel. bq. "If Yassin's assassination was meant to curb the capacity of Hamas, it also indicated to the Palestinians the incapacity of the Palestinian Authority," commentator Ali al-Jarbawi said. Kinda ties into what I pointed to earlier this afternoon when I linked to Steven DenBeste's article: bq. But even more important than that is the fact that the Palestinians are not united. There is no actual leader who can negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians who can actually deliver on the promises he makes. COOL! Ramallah delenda est! Posted by DaveH at March 23, 2004 8:59 PM