The Palestinians are going through an especially difficult period. They need all the support of the Arab and Muslim worlds and the international community. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) is under tremendous pressure to appease his restless people. The Palestinians have experienced an unbearable repression at the hands of the Israelis. It is a tragedy that at this historical juncture the Palestinians are engaged in a bitter infighting. The attack on Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's convoy, which came under fire as he crossed the border from Egypt into Gaza, was unjustified and totally unacceptable. It was an evil deed designed to exacerbate the tensions and sow the seeds of hatred and caustic recriminations. Factionalism is nullifying the Palestinian cause. Matters have come to a head. The time has come for Palestinians to unite and face the common enemy. The factional fighting between Fatah and Hamas is tearing the very fabric of Palestinian society. "The smallest drop of Palestinian blood is dear to us and should not be spilled except to defend our land," as Haniyeh so aptly put it. The entire Arab world, therefore, was exultant about reports that the Palestinians called for a new ceasefire after a week of bloodshed. The Palestinian leadership must restrain itself from the spirit of retribution and vendetta. Moreover, the Palestinian leadership, both Fatah's and Hamas's, must restrain its followers from instigating violence and seeking revenge. This is the time to heal the rift between Hamas and Fatah. The Palestinian president must be commended for his statesmanship. And, Hamas leaders, too, have exhibited a great deal of political acumen and generosity of spirit. Common sense and the spirit of understanding and magnanimity must prevail. The perpetrators of violence must be stopped in their tracks. They must be penalised. And, the Palestinians must never forget the hidden hand of outside forces with dubious agendas. Israel is the only power that could possibly benefit from the factional fighting of the Palestinians, because fratricide among the Palestinians irreparably weakens the Palestinian cause. The Israelis, too, in the long run cannot benefit from a divided Palestinian political establishment. It is in Israel's long-term interest to negotiate with a solid and unified Palestinian political leadership. Perhaps, in the short-term the Israelis might make much political capital out of the Palestinian infighting. But that is a short- sighted view of events. This myopic perspective of the Palestinian situation would only lead to more trouble in store for Israel eventually and in the years to come. Peace among the Palestinians can only strengthen peace in the wider region. A faction-ridden Palestinian political set-up can only lead to disaster for the region in the future. The suffering of the Palestinian people has become unbearable. They face severe economic hardship. The crippling economic embargo imposed by the Israelis and the West is ruining the Palestinian economy which is now virtually in shambles.
