Palestinian feud focus of debate

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THE destructive feud between Palestinian factions will come under the spotlight at the latest Doha Debate, to be held this evening at Qatar Foundation Headquarters.

The motion ‘This House believes that Palestinians risk becoming their own worst enemy’ will highlight the struggle between Hamas and Fatah, a spokesperson said.

Doha Debates chairman Tim Sebastian says that it is time to look past Israel as the sole obstacle to Palestinian statehood.

Speaking against the motion is the Palestinian ambassador to France and former minister for Jerusalem affairs, Hind Khoury.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=210502&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

[ProgressiveMuslim]

1. As if it's the Hatfields and McCoys, rather than US/Israeli quislings vs. the people's choice.

yeah, those people of Palestine. Why can't they just get their act together?

[oberliner]

2. Abbas was elected president by the Palestinians

Abbas achieves landslide poll win

Interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has won a landslide victory in Sunday's presidential election to succeed the late Yasser Arafat.

Preliminary official results show that Mr Abbas won 62.3% of the vote on a turnout of about 66%.

His main rival Mustafa Barghouti got 19.8%. Admitting defeat, he said it was a victory for Palestinian democracy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4160171.stm

The term of the office is four years.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. He ran unopposed. Mugabe wins in landslides too.

Remember, Israel had just murdered Yassein and Rantisi?

The "real" race that measured the parties against each other, was the PLC elections. And there Hamas won by a landslide.

[oberliner]

6. There were seven candidates and the election was monitored by Former President Carter

There has actually only ever been one presidential election that Mugabe has won in Zimbabwe and he defeated Tsvangirai by about 15 points. And that was one that most international observers said was rigged.

I don't think it's fair to dismiss the Palestinian presidential election of 2005 in a similar fashion.

The Palestinian people voted for Abbas in large numbers, and I do not believe they were coerced to do so, any more than they were coerced to vote for the Hamas candidates in the legislative elections that followed.

You will recall that in those legislative elections, the Fatah party came in a close second to Hamas in the popular vote.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

8. Fair enough.

The absence of a Hamas candidate was clearly felt there.

I don't think Abbas would be re-elected in a million years now, though.

At least I hope not.

[oberliner]

9. Have you seen this fairly recent poll?

Barghouti, Abbas Popular for Palestinian Voters

Who is your favourite candidate you would vote for to be the president of the Palestinian Authority in the next presidential elections?

Marwan Barghouthi
24.3%

Mahmoud Abbas
23.1%

Ismail Haniyeh
12.4%

Mustafa Barghouthi
9.5%

Mohammed Dahlan
5.2%

Khalid Mashal
3.6%

Mahmoud Zahar
3.3%

Salam Fayyad
3.2%

Aziz El-Duwaik
3.1%

Ahmed Qorei
2.2%

Other
1.4%

Don’t know
8.8%

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/30161/barghouti_abbas_popular_for_palestinian_voters

[ProgressiveMuslim]

10. I'd vote for Barghouti in a heart beat.

The correct, clear-headed analysis that understands the nature of Israel's ongoing occupation, without the fundy religion!

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3. I was mostly interested that Doha wanted to step into this minefield.

But the weasely nature of the proceeding is obvious.

Still, you have to admit it would be a good thing if Fatah and Hamas resolved their differences in favor of the larger problems that need to be dealt with.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. I think rapprochment is absolutely necessary, but Abbas will

need to go.

I don't think Fatah is beyond repair, but the introspection and reform that SHOULD have occurred after the last election needs to happen. Ultimately, Israel/USA's intereference prevented the natural course "OMGosh we lost big time... let's examine why... let's make the necessary changes" from happening.

Just one more way imperialism screws things up in the developing world...

[bemildred]

7. Yeah. he's pretty much in the way at this point. nt