| "Jes' as long as we can kill some evil Jooos afterwards!" |
This weekend's election to replace Yasser Arafat has the potential to usher in the Arab world's first genuine democracy - a peaceful transfer of power that will augur well for the dream of a Palestinian state. But four years of bloody conflict with Israel have deflated expectations. Many Palestinians say they will settle for simpler achievements: jobs, clean government, an end to ubiquitous Israeli roadblocks. "We don't need theater," said 68-year-old Saud Jaradat, a village elder in Sair, near Hebron. "It's time to start killin' more Jooooos solving our problems," he said in a clear reference to Arafat's four decades of roller-coaster leadership.
| Could maybe start with bumping off all the Hamas guys you can find... |
 At campaign rallies from Gaza to Hebron, Mahmoud Abbas, the candidate almost certain to win, has been greeted with exuberant shows of support not unlike the emotional farewell Palestinians gave Arafat at his funeral two months ago. Abbas has begun to chip away at his gray terrorist image - alarming some Israelis with a public embrace of terrorists militants but gaining new stature among Palestinians whose backing he'll need for any future peace deal. With polls showing Abbas with more than double the support of his nearest rival, terrorist democracy activist Mustafa Barghouti, Sunday's election is more or less a foregone conclusion.
| Has there ever been an election in the Arab world that hasn't been a foregone conclusion? Think hard, now... |
The question is not if Abbas will win, but by how much - and the answer will have great impact on Abbas's ability to rein in militants and talk peace with Israel. Mahdi Abdul Hadi, chairman of the Palestinian Academic Society, said the candidate will need 65 percent of the vote to get the mandate he needs. "Otherwise the Israelis will build the wall anyway not respect your position, and they will keep you weak and (the militant group) Hamas wants you to be weak in order to bargain," he said.
| They just can't get away from that Fearless Leader thing. |
| Hamas has been lookin' mighty afraid of the Israelis lately ... |
|