Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

The Damaging Parade | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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See a situation as the world sees it and not as we want to see it, from legal and historical perspectives. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is forcing his citizens to leave the homes in which they lived, some of them were born, and other were killed to defend them over the past 30 years. Sharon encountered opposition from hard-line ministers because of his determination to withdraw from Gaza and will face a future battle with Binyamin Netanyahu, who threatened Sharon, resigned from the Finance Ministry, and vowed to confront Sharon in the coming elections.

on the other hand, notice what is happening in Gaza, where Palestinian organizations and factions brandished their weapons in a public display of defiance of Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas, who asked Palestinians to stand behind a single authority and a single weapon. They defied his request and explicitly stated that they will not lay down their weapons or suspend their operations. To add insult to injury, some gunmen kidnapped a French journalist, who was just recently released.

The international press noted that Sharon had fulfilled his promise while Abbas has done nothing but delivered speeches and made promises.

The Palestinians have lost much in the past because of divisions among their factions that serve various external quarters, from Iraq, Syria, Jordan, or the Soviet Union. Today, the divisions are among local leaders who wish to compete for power, an audience, and selfish interests.

These groups appeared before the world as if they were eager for a fight at a time when the civilized Israeli side was protesting with its women and children , who held tight to their homes and were carried by their arms and legs out of Gaza. The Palestinian fighters, masked, intimidating, and armed, looked as if they were an extension of the photos of Al-Qaeda and the gangs in Iraq.

They were the worst sight that the world saw on the day of withdrawal.

They could have organized a peaceful demonstration made up of widows and orphans, whose relatives were killed by Israel. They could have promised the world peace if Israel continued with its withdrawals. They could have at least stayed off walked camera if they could not appear in a more appropriate manner.

Unfortunately, these people do not know how much they have harmed themselves through the abductions, the weapons, and the intimidating demonstrations at a time when the world wants to end the matter to their favor without the need for them to send their children to fight. This is a future dilemma for you, Abu-Mazin (Mahmud Abbas).