November 13, 2007: Gaza remains a low level war zone, with
several incidents each week of rockets being fired at Israel, and Palestinians
trying to cross the security fence, or plant bombs along the road near the fence.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army is planning a large scale exercise in the West
Bank, to test tactics and procedures if there were to be large scale fighting
in the West Bank. Fatah is seen as only nominally in control of the West Bank,
with most Palestinians tolerating Fatah rather than encouraging an even more
disliked Hamas.
In response to yesterdays
confrontation, Hamas police arrested dozens of Fatah officials in Gaza. Hamas
and Fatah are still competing to be the sole leader of the Palestinians, but
neither group has the support of a majority of the Palestinians. Fatah is seen
as incompetent and corrupt, while Hamas is seen as radical and suicidal. Both
political movements attract a minority of Palestinians, and neither is capable
of controlling the entire Palestinian population.
November 12, 2007: Fatah made
a surprising showing by attracting 250,000 of
Gaza's 1.4 million people to a rally commemorating the fourth
anniversary of Yassir Arafat's death. But the gathering eventually turned
violent, with stones thrown at the Hamas police. Sorts were fired and
eventually seven Fatah supporters were killed. Hamas was shocked that Fatah
could turn out a crowd that large in Gaza. Many in the crowd were there more to
protest Hamas, than to support Fatah.
November 11, 2007: Israeli raids against terrorists continue in
Gaza and the West Bank.
November 7, 2007: Hamas gunmen in Gaza are showing signs of
professional military training, and being supplied with first rate military
equipment. All indications point to Iran as the source of the training and
stuff like night vision gear.
