freedom of movement, for
ne, was sharply curtailed.
That new policy and
tougher stance seems to
have brought matters to a
head. Indeed, from the
outset the Palestinians re-
peatedly declared that the
strike was is over "purely
umanitarian issues."
"I've been knocking on
doors for eight months now
warning that there will be
an explosion in the prisons
unless there's an improve-
ment in conditions," fumed
Freih Abu-Midyan, head of
the Bar Association in Gaza
and a member of the Pales-
tinian delegation to the
peace talks.
Yet rather than take the
Palestinians at their word
and address the problem on
a "humanitarian" level,
Police Minister Moshe
Shahal attacked the strike
as having been "motivated
solely by political considera-
tions" and organized by "a
handful of radicals for the
purpose of sabotaging the
peace process."
The motives behind the
hunger strike probably lie
somewhere between the two
claims. But whether or not
the "Rejectionist Front" (an
alliance of the fundamenta-
list Hamas and the nation-
alist Popular and Democrat-
ic Fronts) actually ordered
the hunger strike, it was cer-
tainly quick to exploit the
situation by organizing mar-
ches, demonstrations, and
ultimately riots as expres-
sions of solidarity with it.
What's more, in no time flat
the Rejectionists were also
claiming — and who could
prove otherwise? — that the
violence actually stemmed
from disillusionment with
the peace process and oppo-
sition to the autonomy plan.
Thus what began as one
thing had soon become an-
other. And the opponents of
negotiation had outwitted
both the mainstream Pales-
tinian leadership and the
Israeli government in a sin-
gle stroke.
This is not the first time
that the Israelis have
miscalculated the depth of
feeling and height of frustra-
tion permeating the Pales-
tinian community. If the
latest violence is reminis-
cent of the early days of the
intifada, that's probably be-
cause it's fueled by similar a
mood of exasperation. It has
also come at a particularly
sensitive juncture in the
peace process because, as the
first anniversary of the
Madrid Conference ap-
proaches, the Palestinian
negotiators have little to
show for their pains. ❑

It's coming...
Next Friday
October 23
7 - Midnight

Join Jim Harper of WNIC
for the party of the year!!

WEST BLOOMFIELD • MICHIGAN

Orchard Lake Road • North of Maple

851-7727

Philips 35" TV Sale

When You Think Of Video
Think Vitex .

35P500 35" Color Monitor with

Made In
U. S. A.

Universal Remote and Color PIP

3160 Haggerty Road, West Bloomfield (313) 669-5600

Mon - Sat 10 am - 5 pm or by appointment

Sale Ends 11/30/92

I

Right In Your Own Driveway!

The Rolex Lady Datejust. Available in
steel, steel and 18 karat gold or all
18 karat gold - with or without diamonds.
Priced from `1765.

AUTO REPAIR AT YOUR LOCATION WITH THE GARAGE ON WHEELS

The Tune Up Man

--1 !

DOING BUSINESS SINCE 1976

CALL 398-3605

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GREENS TONE 'S

CREATORS OF FINE JEWELRY SINCE 1925.

528 North Woodward • Birmingham, MI • 4 Blocks north of Maple • 313-642-2650

