Despite Ramallah's close cooperation with Israel to defeat the Palestinian resistance, recent operations prove its capacities remain strong, writes Saleh Al-Naami Israeli officers in the field and senior officials in the domestic intelligence apparatus Shin Bet burnt a lot of cigarettes as they pondered how best to respond to the military operations carried out by the Ezzeddin Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. Three armed attacks in Hebron, Ramallah and near Jerusalem came as a shock to decision-makers in Tel Aviv, although Israel's security institutions gave the impression that these operations were anticipated, and that they had received intelligence that Hamas would carry out these attacks. Many Zionist commentators noted that these attacks came at the peak of a campaign by authorities in Ramallah and Israel to "dry up sources" of Hamas and its bases in the West Bank. They point out that Shin Bet has been arresting anyone related to Hamas, and is investing much energy in interrogating detainees to make cases against them. If they are unsuccessful in this, many of those arrested become administrative detainees indefinitely. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is arresting Hamas leaders and activists, which human rights organisations in the West Bank report have been brutally tortured. Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's security forces have also interrogated, threatened, and pursued thousands of Hamas members, who are also fired from government jobs, especially in the sectors of education and religious services. Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported that General Avi Mizrahi, the head of Central Command in the Israeli army, said that the role of Fayyad's security apparatus is not limited to preventing resistance operations, but that they participate in daily efforts by occupying forces to thwart operations by the resistance. At the same time, Haaretz newspaper reported that Fayyad's security forces patrol the streets and roads close to settlements, searching Palestinian vehicles and interrogating their occupants on the spot to ensure that they have no intention of harming the settlers. According to Amos Harel, Haaretz military analyst, and Avi Sakharov, the newspaper's Palestinian affairs correspondent, the recent attacks proved that Hamas is still alive and well in the West Bank. The two writers noted that the incidents demonstrate that Hamas's military wing is capable of carrying out complicated military operations in the heart of the West Bank, despite security cooperation between Israel and the PA, and what they described as "brutal suppression" by Mahmoud Abbas's security forces against Hamas. Both writers believe that the operations will increase already intensive security cooperation between the two sides. While Harel and Sakharov argued that the incidents were planned to throw direct negotiations off track, senior political commentator Akiva Eldar believes otherwise. Eldar wrote satirically: "What negotiations would this operation affect? These talks are a failure from the get go; nobody believes they will amount to much." He continued that Israel could not respond to the incident by striking Hamas in Gaza because the operation targeted settlers, whose presence in the West Bank is viewed as illegal by most of the world. Eldar added that the operation aimed to highlight the reality of the negative influence that settlements in the West Bank have on chances of achieving peace. Like many others, he believes the attacks underscored the prominent role Hamas could play if it wanted, and that any attempt to obliterate the group from domestic or regional dynamics has failed and achieved completely opposite results. As is common in such cases, Israeli security circles became occupied with the amount of responsibility which Hamas leaders shoulder for ordering such operations. Israeli intelligence sources told Yediot Aharonot that Hamas leaders in Gaza and Damascus are responsible, and the operations were carefully timed to influence the outcome of direct negotiations that were restarted in Washington and are expected to continue in Sharm El-Sheikh. Despite the focus on blaming Hamas leaders in Gaza and Damascus, this did not prevent army circles from finding a scapegoat -- Israel's Central Command -- and blaming it for "negligence" which allowed the Ezzeddin Al-Qassam Brigades to succeed amid unprecedented security measures imposed by the army. An Israeli security source told Yediot Aharonot that Central Command leadership ignored warnings by Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi who had visited Central Command on the eve of the attack. Ashkenazi warned of information that Hamas was preparing to carry out a large military operation in the area. Central Command leadership is being blamed for not escalating security measures after being warned. Many observers, however, are unconvinced by these claims. Some, like Ben Casbi commenting in Maariv newspaper, argue that Israel already has a massive military presence in the West Bank, and in Hebron especially. Also, that all settlers are armed, and that general security measures such as banning Palestinians from using the same roads as settlers to prevent attacks by resistance movements are already in place. The implications of the surprise attacks on the future of the regime in Ramallah were of real concern to many decision- makers in Tel Aviv. While Israel and Fayyad's government had hoped that the recent war and siege on Gaza would result in the collapse of Hamas, the success of its military wing in carrying out attacks in the heart of the West Bank where Hamas is being vigorously pursued indicates that the chances of the Ramallah regime remaining in power are slim. In the first statement of its kind, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said that the PA's security apparatus has become instrumental in securing settlements. Barak added that senior Palestinian leaders have also come to realise the vital role that Abbas's security forces play in protecting settlers. Nonetheless, there are those in Netanyahu's government who used the attacks as a means to extend to settlers more means and capabilities to harm Palestinians. Minister of Interior Rabbi Eli Yishai, who is the leader of the religious Shas movement, gave new orders to the Weapons Licensing Department in his ministry to facilitate issuing weapons licences to settlers. This despite the fact that settlers who use West Bank roads are already protected by the Israeli army around the clock. Yishai's orders also allow licenses to be issued without the permission of the Israeli police, which had been standard procedure until now. Every settler, even those with a police record, will be issued a license according to the new orders, including settlers who were convicted or accused of attacking Palestinians and those suspected by Shin Bet of being members of Jewish terrorist organisations targeting Palestinians. There have been many armed attacks by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank where perpetrators have eluded Israeli authorities. For its part, the PA attempted to cast doubt over the reasons for the recent attacks. Official spokesmen said that the incidents aimed to undermine direct talks re-launched with Israel. In response, Hamas spokesmen said that the operations were in reaction to expanding settlement plans in the West Bank that are diminishing Palestinian land, and in light of the inability of the PA to protect Palestinians from attacks by settlers that occur under the eyes and protection of the Israeli army. No doubt, the recent attacks have shown that the measures taken by Israel and authorities in Ramallah to confront the resistance will not lead to the submission of the Palestinian people or force them to accept perpetual occupation.
