Hamas: Rivalry Breeds Extremes
The Palestinians have a bitter joke: What would happen if the Palestinian Authority disappeared? The answer: How could you tell? The dysfunction and corruption of the authority — which was meant to be an interim arrangement, and without the powers of a real state — was a prime reason Palestinian voters threw out Fatah in legislative elections in January. They took their chances with the militants of Hamas for many reasons, but one was the Islamic movement’s reputation for discipline, unity and honesty. Full Story