Fatah: A Partner for Peace?

The United States has spent and pledged millions of dollars to bolster the Palestinian government run by Mahmoud Abbas. But now the Palestinians have two competing governments in Gaza and the West Bank. And some fear U.S. support may actually be hurting the man billed as a partner for peace. The Bush Administration shelled out tens of millions of dollars for weapons and for the training of Abbas's Fatah Party security forces. But when those forces were driven out of the Gaza Strip less than two weeks ago, the Hamas terrorist organization seized thousands of those weapons. It was a humiliating defeat for Abbas and his Fatah Party. He quickly formed a new government to rival the elected government of Hamas. Abbas got immediate support from both the United States and Israel. "Our hope is that President Abbas and the Prime Minister Fayad, who's a good fellow, will be strengthened to the point where they can lead the Palestinians in a different direction," President George Bush said. In Washington and in Jerusalem, Abbas is seen as a moderate, and the only real hope for a peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. But in the West Bank and Gaza Abbas and his Fatah Party are far less popular than they are in the White House. Khaled Abu Toameh is Palestinian affairs correspondent for The Jerusalem Post. He says the U.S. and Israel's public backing of Abbas is poison on the Palestinian street. "You made him look like a collaborator, a pawn in the hands of the Americans and the Israelis, and that's why he lost much of his credibility on the street," Toameh said. "Palestinians see Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah being embraced by the United States don't like that, and that's why they run into the open arms of Hamas." Toameh says that despite Abbas's reputation as a moderate, his security forces have made life miserable for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The security forces have a reputation of being a law unto themselves and riddled with corruption, and that helps explain Hamas's popularity among Palestinians. "They don't want to see Fatah gunmen raid schools and kindergartens and charities; they don't want to see Fatah gunmen go on a rampage in different parts of the West Bank.," Toameh said. "They want law and order." He's concerned that by supporting Abbas now, the U.S. is throwing good money after bad. "If you want to give them money, at least don't do it publicly. And if you do give them money, demand transparency- accountability - demand an end to corruption, an end to anarchy and lawlessness," Toameh said. "Because there is no point in giving money to a group of guys who are going to steal the money, and who are not going to invest it for the welfare of the Palestinians." Toameh and other observers warn that unless the Abbas government makes dramatic changes from the way it has governed in the past, the Islamists led by Hamas could take charge of both Gaza and the West Bank in as little as one year.