Oslo's baleful legacy

Additionally, the Oslo process has transformed the Palestinian revolutionary project into a corrupted comprador class that enjoys some benefits from the occupier. The victory of Hamas in the elections has caught this comprador class by surprise. Since then, the Fatah movement has refused to acknowledge its defeat, refused initially to join Hamas in a unity government, and waited eagerly to prove that Hamas has failed without initially giving it a chance to succeed.

The EU, United States, and Israel have boycotted the government and contributed their fair share to its prospected failure and to the Palestinian bloodshed. Hamas had refrained for more than two years prior to its elections from suicide attacks and has decided to participate in the electoral process created by Oslo. Ariel Sharon who rejected Oslo had his chance in power and was not boycotted by the world; Hamas was not given the same chance.

Today, Ha'aretz reports that Israel intends to release the Palestinian taxes money it withheld since Hamas came to power, because the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has just decided to fire the government. This seems like another immediate reward and encouragement of one faction over the other to inflame the civil war. The media has reported on several occasions in the last two years about money, training, and weapons from the US and Israel to Fatah. All of it is intended to overthrow a legitimately elected government.

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