The Mideast peace process

Support for Hamas, the fundamentalist Islamic group based in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, took a notable downturn with the grand announcement that Palestinian autonomy had finally arrived in December 1993.

The Palestinian flag was, for the first time, seen fluttering in the breeze with no Israeli soldiers trying to pull it down.

Nations great and small promised to give financial support to the fledgling autonomy and the people within the autonomies began to feel that something might really happen in the near future.

Unfortunately, a year on, the situation in Gaza has the potential to deteriorate into a three-way battle between the Palestinian Authority, which has its executive arm in the shape of a police force made up of Palestinians loyal to Yasser Arafat, the so-called Islamic fundamentalists and Israel, which contains the Palestinian people living within the autonomies and the still occupied territories which neighbor them.

Since 1969 Arafat has headed the PLO, which has formed the main voice of opposition to Israel on behalf of the Palestinians.

For years he was accepted as the leader of their cause and made his army from the young men in the Palestinian refugee camps based in neighboring Arab countries.

The Israelis have given the Palestinians autonomy in Gaza and Jericho. Autonomy means self government and as a consequence Israel has no say as to who may enter the elections.

From a Palestinian point of view, it would appear essential that Arafat negotiate with Hamas and, if possible, draw them into the peace process by persuading them to enter the elections and grab a stake in the leadership of the autonomies, thus representing a solid chunk of the people in the autonomies who fought for the principles enshrined in the Intifada.

-- The Nation, Bangkok