RISHON LEZION, Israel — A senior Fatah official told the Jerusalem Post that recent riots in Jerusalem might lead to another Palestinian uprising. Don’t believe him. A cardinal rule of life in the Middle East is that everyone, on all sides, openly lies and exaggerates — both to the media and in personal conversations with friends.
First, Israeli incursions into the West Bank over the past several years have demolished terrorist networks there. Second, the separation barrier has made it incredibly difficult to infiltrate Israel proper. Third, the West Bank’s economy has improved greatly since the removal of many roadblocks and security checkpoints. From what I have read, there is not a strong undercurrent of anger seething below the surface of Palestinian society.
Nothing significant should change soon on either the Israeli or Palestinian side. The status quo, as messy as it is, will continue.
