Hamas has defined the PLO as its next target for political takeover, demanding elections throughout what the Arabs call the "Palestinian diaspora." This would mean elections in refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan and elsewhere, where Hamas feels it has very strong support. A victory in these elections would help Hamas attain positions currently held by PLO figures, such as the observer post in the United Nations, membership in international organizations, material assets, and the like.
A Hamas leader-in-exile, Mousa Abu Marzuk, declared recently that the PLO's institutions have essentially stopped working. "The PLO can no longer represent the Palestinian nation until real reforms are carried out within it," he said.
The Palestinian Refugee camps in Lebanon are not only well armed but are complete no-go zones for the Lebanese Army or other militias. There is no way that the protection rackets that the PLO has spent decades establishing in these camps will just go gently into that dark night. Potentially, there is not a Middle East country that would be able to remain unscathed by the violence that could erupt if Hamas attempts to challenge the PLO hegemony in those camps.
1 comment:
In many cases, there is simply nowhere else for them to go. No money, no travel documents, and most Arab countries have strict restrictions on entry for Palestinians as well as extremely harsh restrictions on employment.
Many Palestinians living in refugee camps are required to turn over a portion of their earnings to the PLO, who often controls access to the few employment opportunities that are available outside the camps. Initially, a great deal of the restrictive measures used against the Palestinians were to make them as wretched and pathic as possible as a people in order to gain sympathy for their plight. Jordan is the only Arab country that allows the Palestinians equal rights and citizenship.
Post a Comment