Relative quiet as Palestinians look to Iraq

Since the US war on Iraq began nearly two weeks ago, the West Bank and Gaza have gone relatively quiet

Since the US war on Iraq began nearly two weeks ago, the West Bank and Gaza have gone relatively quiet. In an attempt to relieve tension, Israel has eased the closure and siege of Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank but kept up military pressure on Palestinian militants in Gaza.

Saturday's suicide bomb attack mounted by Islamic Jihad at the Israeli seaside resort of Natanya was the first since March 5th.

The small, radical Islamic Jihad group has threatened to step up such attacks on Israelis to support and honour the Iraqis.

But the larger, populist Hamas has not staged any attempts and the leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, who goes by the nom de guerre "Abu Mujahed", has announced a halt to operations against Israelis for the duration of the Iraq war.

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Both Hamas and al-Aqsa Brigades, an offshoot of the Fatah movement founded by the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, have also said that they would observe a ceasefire if the Prime Minister-elect, Mr Mahmud Abbas, secures a cessation of Israel attacks and the withdrawal of the Israeli army to the lines of March 29th last year.

Like Arabs elsewhere, Palestinians are focused on the unfolding battle in Iraq rather than their own struggle with Israel. "Iraq's stand inspires militants to carry on their fight and gives everyone a new sense of Arab pride," stated a Palestinian social worker dealing with Jerusalem and the West Bank. "So many of our young people are suffering from depression. They quit school because they see no point in studying. They cannot find jobs. They have no focus and no future.

"But now, for many, their depression has lifted. They see Arabs trying to take on the world's superpower. They once again believe they can carry on our fight for freedom," she said.

The situation is different in Gaza which is, in practice, run by Hamas, in spite of Israel's drive to decapitate the movement. There are daily anti-war, pro-Iraq demonstrations, sometimes combined with funerals of militants or civilians killed by Israel.

"The invasion and occupation of Iraq is a copy of Israel's occupation of Palestine and reaffirms the strategic alliance between the US, Britain and Tel Aviv," said Dr Mahdi Abdel Hadi, the head of a Palestinian think-tank in east Jerusalem.

"In Gaza you find small Iraqi flags on cars and photos of Saddam Hussein."

"Whatever happens [Saddam Hussein] will be ranked with [the Egyptian President] Gamal Abdel Nasser who stood up to the British, French and Israelis in the Suez war of 1956," Dr Abdel Hadi asserted.

The Palestinian leadership has been remarkably reticent to comment on the war.

Mr Arafat was punished by the US following the 1991 war because he was seen as an ally of the Iraqi president and many Palestinians cheered when Iraqi missiles fell on Israel.