The Palestinian dilemma

Was the Israeli pullout because of violent resistance or peaceful negotiations? What the "street" believes will determine the course of the peace process.

From the The Guardian:

"The Palestinian Authority is torn between wanting to claim the victory and persuading the people that the future lies with negotiations. It has tried to revive the nationalism embodied by Yasser Arafat and the PLO by appealing for people to fly only the national flag of red, black, white and green in celebration at the Israeli pullout. The authority even distributed 80,000 free flags.

But on the rooftops of Khan Yunis they are easily outnumbered by the green banners of Hamas, a reflection of the Islamisation of Palestinian society and a widespread belief that Hamas led the fight to drive out the Israelis. The organisation has distributed thousands more flags for its supporters to plant in the rubble of the settlements and claim them as a victory for the bomb."