The American aim is clear. President Bush has chosen a local leader for
every Muslim country, who will rule it under American protection and follow
American orders. In Iraq, in Lebanon, in Afghanistan, and also in Palestine.
Hamas believes that the man marked for this job in Gaza is Mohammed
Dahlan. For years it has looked as if he was being groomed for this position.
The American and Israeli media have been singing his praises, describing him as
a strong, determined leader, "moderate" (i.e. obedient to American orders) and
"pragmatic" (i.e. obedient to Israeli orders). And the more the Americans and
Israelis lauded Dahlan, the more they undermined his standing among the
Palestinians. Especially as Dahlan was away in Cairo, as if waiting for his men
to receive the promised arms.
In the eyes of Hamas, the attack on the Fatah strongholds in the Gaza Strip
is a preventive war. The organizations of Abbas and Dahlan melted like snow in
the Palestinian sun. Hamas has easily taken over the whole Gaza Strip.
And according to Ali Abuminah:
The dramatic rout of the US and Israeli-backed Palestinian militias in Gaza
by forces loyal to Hamas represents a major setback to the Bush doctrine in
Palestine.
Before reading accounts of the conflict in the main stream press, please also read pieces by Tony Karon, Jonathan Steele, and Chris Floyd.
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CIA-Trained Security Chiefs Elected to the Palestinian Leadership: What Actually Happened in Fatah’s Elections?
By Esam AL-Amin
“He is our guy.” -- George W. Bush speaking of Palestinian security chief Muhammad Dahlan, June 4, 2003
August 14, 2009 “Counterpunch” — The U.S. government has been meddling in the Palestinian internal affairs since at least 2003. Its effort is to transform the Palestinian national movement for liberation and independence into a more compliant or quisling government, willing to accede to Israel’s political and security demands.
The tactics employed by the U.S. include military, security, diplomatic, and political components. With the ascension of Hamas after the 2006 legislative election, U.S. strategy has been fixed on unraveling the election results. Its aim for a political comeback of the pro-American camp within the Palestinian body politic has been initiated with the convening of Fatah’s national conference this last week.
During the week of August 4, 2009, the Palestinian National Liberation Movement Fatah, convened its sixth national conference in its 44-year history. Fatahhas historically been considered the largest Palestinian faction, but that perception changed when it lost the legislative elections to Hamas in January 2006. As the group wrapped up its conference after eight days, it announced the results of its elections. The international media, particularly western outlets, framed the election as “fresh” and “new” faces ascending to power in the movement. But what actually happened in the vote?
Fatah’s internal structure is unlike most political parties or resistance movements. It is not hierarchical and its members’ loyalty largely follows a system of patronage and factionalism embodied in a 23-member Central Committee.
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Many of the questions, posed by ordinary Palestinians before the conference, remain unanswered. What is Fatah’s political program in light of the current Israeli intransigence and pre-conditions? What of national reconciliation with other Palestinian factions and the establishment of a national unity government? What is the role of resistance against the occupation, the suffocating siege against Gaza, and most importantly, the continuous collaboration with the Israeli security agencies and military against their own citizens?
These questions persist while Israel’s occupation and its brutal policies, the expansion of settlements, the separation wall, the detention of over 11,000 Palestinians, the expropriation of land, the depopulation of East Jerusalem’s Palestinian residents, and the denial of Palestinian refugees’ right of return, continue unabated.
Simply put, the U.S. wants a Palestinian leadership that will answer these questions in a way that is satisfactory to Israel. As one State Department official said to Vanity Fair regarding American objectives in the Israeli-Palestinian struggle, “[W]e care about results, and [we support] whatever son of a bitch [w]e have to support. Dahlan was the son of a bitch we happened to know best.”
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