Palestinians have seen this game played before, and then they marched in support of Saddam Hussein.
But this time the streets have been almost silent. That is not because Palestinians have lost their sympathy for Iraq, but largely because Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority has told activists now is not the time for public displays of support for Iraq's dictator.
When President Saddam clashed with the UN in February, Palestinians urged him to batter Tel Aviv with Scud missiles as he did in the Gulf War of 1991. Now, with Israel due to pull back from areas of the West Bank and release Palestinian prisoners under the Wye Accord signed last month, Mr Arafat stands to lose if Palestinians are seen to support violence against Israel.
But in the Deheishe refugee camp near Bethlehem, support for Iraq is strong.
"The Palestinian Authority is preventing the demonstrations," said Abdullah Shuaneh, a greengrocer. "The Palestinian police are forbidding it. If they didn't, of course there would be protests."
His 22-year-old nephew said Palestinians were no less accepting of military strikes - or UN sanctions against Iraq. "Sure, we're angry. The Iraqi people are our brothers."
President Saddam convinced Palestinians of as much when he sent 39 Scuds slamming into Israel during the Gulf War. Many Palestinians cheered as the missiles whizzed over the West Bank towards Tel Aviv. But Palestinians paid a heavy price as more than 100,000 were kicked out of jobs in oil-rich Gulf states.
Mr Arafat, who backed President Saddam during the Gulf War, has been careful to withhold his support since. He said he was holding out hope for a diplomatic solution, adding: "I hope and urge that there will not be an attack against Iraq."
Popular support for President Saddam has remained strong in some Palestinian quarters, and memorabilia adorned with his picture is available at novelty shops in the Gaza Strip. That puts Mr Arafat in a difficult position. He already faces sharp criticism from Islamic fundamentalists whom he promised Israel he would arrest.
David Horovitz adds from Jerusalem: Desperate to avoid being dragged into the confrontation with Iraq, Israel has refrained from taking delivery of improved US Patriot anti-missile systems, designed to intercept incoming Iraqi Scuds. Defence ministry officials say the immediate delivery of Patriots would signal that Israel feels threatened by the current escalation.
In similar low-key vein, Israeli health authorities are refraining from distributing antibiotics to counter the effects of biological weapons.