the Palestine legislative council who resigned from
Arafat's cabinet on Saturday.
"Everybody feels that an earthquake has taken
place in Palestinian society. So the changes must be
equal in size to what happened," Amer told journal-
ists in Ramallah. "I say the change must come from
within the Palestinian Authority. "
According to a classified report reaching the Israel
Foreign Ministry, the P.A.'s minister of international
cooperation, Nabil Sha'ath, told Russian Foreign
GIL SEDAN
Minister Igor Ivanov that the Palestinian leadership
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
committed many mistakes, particularly in its atti-
Jerusalem
tude toward suicide bombers.
ith the month-long Israeli siege over,
He said the phenomenon had caused considerable
life seems to be returning to normal
damage to the credibility of the Palestinian leader-
in Ramallah. But beneath the surface,
ship, and should be stopped at all costs.
Palestinians are questioning their
Hussein A-Sheik, a leading official of Arafat's
regime in unprecedented ways.
Fatah faction, demanded reform in Fatah ranks. Last
Dissent, which Palestinians usually keep to them-
weekend, A-Sheik urged that a party conference be
selves because of threats, is being heard after a wave
urgently convened for the first time in 13 years.
of Palestinian terrorism in March brought a fierce
Even Arafat's top lieutenants say the disastrous
Israeli reprisal that left Palestinian areas of the West
events of the past month can not be allowed to pass
Bank in ruins.
without comment.
Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat may be
"The establishment must learn the lessons of what
out of his besieged headquarters, angrier and more
happened," said Col. Jibril Rajoub, head of the
militant than ever. But people in the streets, trying to
once-powerful Preventive Security Service in the
A Palestinian boy stands next to razor wire, set up by
cope with the aftermath of the fighting, increasingly
West Bank. "One must learn the lessons to bring
the Israeli army, around Yasser Arafat's compound in
are asking, "Was all this misery really necessary? "
about change, because what happened was a nation-
Ramallah on April 30, as soldiers stand alert after gun-
"People are tired," gas station attendant
al disaster. One must check, 'What happened? Who
Mohammad Amir said. •"People are not made of
fire was heard coming from a nearby building.
bears the responsibility?'"
iron. Things have been more difficult than one
Once mentioned as a possible successor to Arafat,
could imagine."
Rajoub is believed to have lost much of his power.
abf,-
"The suicide attacks contradict our national inter-
He was not present when his security headquarters
est," Issam Sakker, a former laborer in Israel, said in
in the Ramallah suburb of Bituniya was captured by
Only a month ago, such statements were hardly
Manara Square in downtown Ramallah. "They were
the Israel Defense Forces with little resistance. He
heard — at least not openly on the street — and
counter-productive in that they intensified the pres-
also was not with Arafat during the prolonged siege
suicide bombers were considered martyrs to be
sure on Arafat."
of his compound in Ramallah.
envied.
One message that Israel's Operation Protective
IDF forces that raided Rajoub's headquarters found
But the shock caused by the Israeli military operation
Wall has conveyed to the Palestinians is that they
yarmulkes
and other disguises that Palestinian terrorists
has changed moods and opinions, not only of the man
paid dearly for the fact that their government left
sometimes
wear to sneak more easily into Israel. Yet
on the street, but also among Palestinian politicians,
every Palestinian militia free to engage in terrorism
though
many
individuals in the security services have
who are calling on Arafat to reform his government.
against Israel.
taken part in terrorist attacks, Rajoub has kept the forces,
"One must begin discussing a. reform in the insti-
Few Palestinians say that suicide bombings are
the closest thing to a Palestinian army, out of regular
tutions of the P.A.," said Nabil Amer, a member of
immoral, but they do talk about their "ineffectiveness."
combat with Israel throughout the intifada (uprising).
•
Many Palestinians now see Rajoub as a collabora-
tor with the Israelis. He sits at home, away from the
decision-making process, frustrated, angry and tired.
As it has numerous times, the White House on
One of Rajoub's greatest worries should be the
Wednesday said Arafat must decide if he is for
growing
demand for a drastic reform of the security
peace or terror.
-forces
to
put the many official organizations under a
"This is another test for Arafat and the
unified
command.
Palestinian leadership," said Allan Gale, assistant
Judging by Rajoub's current. political weakness, such
director of the Jewish Community Council of
a reform may force him into early retirement, with his
Metropolitan Detroit. "They need to choose a
Gaza Strip counterpart, Mohanimad Dahlan, becom-
different course. They need to curb incitement,
ing head of the force. That would make Dahlan the
change an educational system geared to hating
virtual
defense minister of the Palestinian Authority,
Jews,
and
make
a
strategic
choice
that
a
strategy
•
and
a
potential
second in command to Arafat.
of violence doesn't gain them anything.
Even
if
Arafat
does opt for reform, it's not clear
"Bush had shown the U.S. will be supportive of
that
he
can
carry
it through. In addition to the mul-
Palestinians and a Palestinian state if they choose
titude
of
official
security
forces, a variety of militias
a peaceful path."
tied
to
Arafat
have
flourished
in Palestinian areas,
To Israel supporter Jerome S. Kaufman of
often taking the lead in terrorist attacks. Under its
Bloomfield Hills, the bombing is "just testimony
treaties with Israel, the Palestinian Authority is obli-
to the fact that the world and this administration
have pushed Israel into a premature suspension of Israeli police walk through shattered game machines and gated to disarm the militias.
The militias suffered major blows in the IDF
the eradication of the terrorist problem.
overturned tables in a destroyed pool hall the morning
operation,
but they are still a presence. The other
"Notice that the American attack on terrorism
after a Palestinian suicide bomber struck May 7 in the
PALESTINIAN UNREST on page 24
central Israeli town of Rishon le-Zion.
ARAFAT on page 25
Palestinian Unrest
After Israel's invasion, open dissent is heard in Palestinian areas.
Vir
gln
5/10
2002
23