Op

VIOLENCE

IN

I

SRAEL

compromise, would be to hand these deportations, Fatah is trying to keep up
terrorists precisely the victory they with Hamas, the fanatics always go crazy
are seeking. Going forward with the during the (just completed) Muslim holy
peace process is more crucial than month of Ramadan, the Palestinians are
ever; it is the battle against terror frustrated, the Palestinians are embold-
on the political level, argues the gov- ened, on and on.
The military sources, well-informed as
ernment.
This would be an encouraging ar- they are, didn't try to figure it out: "Every
gument if it were based on fact, but once in a while there's a rise in terror. In
it is not. Since the deportations, retrospect, you can try to explain why
Hamas and Islamic Jihad have be- it happened, and in retrospect, all the ex-
come the best-known terrorists in planations will make sense."
Now to the other reason for despair,
Israel, not to mention the rest of the
or
near-despair: the fact that the worst
world. But while they, and "rejec-
terror
of the intifada is taking place just
tionist" terror groups like the Red
Eagles, are responsible for much of when Israel, after 15 years of the Likud's
the mayhem now going on in Israel, policy of "not one inch," finally has a goy :
they are not the number one men- eminent that wants to quit the occupa-
ace: that distinction belongs to ter- tion, that is ready to give up land to the
ror cells aligned with Fatah, the Palestinians.
Officially, the Rabin administration is
"mainstream," "moderate" PLO fac-
only ready at this point to discuss inter-
tion run by Yassir Arafat.
And Arafat is the unofficial, un- im arrangements in the territories, not
seated but undoubted leader of the a final withdrawal from parts of them.
Palestinian delegation that has been Such talk about a transfer of sovereign-
negotiating with the Israelis at the ty would be for later. But the govern-
peace talks. Faisal Husseini, Hanan ment, with its freeze on construction in
Ashrawi and the other Palestinians the territories and its repeated derision
connected with the peace talks also of "political settlements," has hardly hid
identify with this "mainstream, its desire to wash its hands of Gaza, and
moderate" faction. "A majority of the very possibly of a large portion of the
terror attacks are perpetrated by West Bank as well.
Only a few days ago, Housing Minis-
Fatah," said a military source.
The dominant groups are the Fa- ter Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, one of Mr. Ra-
tah Hawks and the Black Panthers. bin's dosest allies and an army man with
Some attacks by these and other Fa- long experience in the territories, said on
tah cells operating from the territo- a TV news talk show: "I want to with-
ries are directed by Arafat's men in draw from Gaza and from much of the
Tunis, while some spring up out of West Bank. I just want to make sure we
local initiative. At any rate, "Arafat have more security on the day after we
approves of and condones the vio- leave than we have now."
Yet the Palestinians aren't interested.
lence," said Tel Aviv University's
When
the Likud was in power, the op-
Professor Ariel Merari, who is prob-
ably Israel's leading authority on timists could argue that the Palestini-
terrorism. So where does this leave ans, after all, had nothing to lose, that
they were committing terror because Is-
Israel?
If the opponents of the peace rael wasn't offering them any hope of ever
talks, like Hamas and the rejec- having their own land — but that if Is-
tionist groups, are using violence rael would compromise, maybe the Pales-
against Israelis, but the very move- tinians would too. What can the optimists
ment represented at those peace say today, when the peace camp is in
talks, Fatah, is using even more vi- power and terror is at an all-time intifa-
olence against them, where are we? da high?
A watchful eye: Israeli soldiers guarding an alley in the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza.
That Israel should become even
What is the "peace option" in this
more
conciliatory, and maybe the ter-
arrangement? "Yes, there is some sort of
and the politics of the Israeli government lamic Jihad and the "rejectionist front"
ror
will
stop? That Israel should, in ef-
Palestinian groups, because they don't inconsistency or paradox here," Profes-
against which it is aimed.
fect, negotiate against itself? What is
sor
Merari
agreed.
The line taken by Prime Minister want to see peace talks succeed and are
There have been any number of ex- there left to say? Not much. Around
Yitzhak Rabin and some of his ministers trying to destroy them through tenor.
here these days, optimists are almost
To pull out of the talks, to give up on planations offered for the upsurge in ter-
is that the terror is being carried out by
ror: Hamas is taking revenge for the stone silent. ❑
the enemies of -peace, by Hamas and Is- the chance for an agreement based on

