Soap opera fans (who understand Arabic) may want to start tuning in to PATV. The story seems to be heating up. Here's a synopsis to date:
Yasser was determined to remain the Big Boss and the Only Big Boss, but his plan was foiled and he was forced to appoint Abu Maz as his Lieutenant. I mean, Prime Minister.
That was ok because Yasser still had no intention of really relinquishing control. And, indeed, he did not. When time came for Abu Maz to appoint his cabinet, lo and behold: Meet the new cabinet, same as the old cabinet -- more or less. The less was the absence of devoted Yasser stooge Hanni al-Hassan and the substitution of not-so-devoted Yasser stooge MoDa as Interior Minister. This is an important job, because it's the one that controls the guns. At least, it's supposed to be the one that controls the guns.
Yasser tried to block the appointment, which he wasn't supposed to be allowed to do, but, Abu Maz, being a good sport, offered a compromise. Abu Maz would appoint himself as Interior Minister and MoDa would answer to him. After lots of stomping and raging about, this arrangement was approved by the necessary parties last week, which triggered the release of the infamous "Road Map."
Everybody happy? This means that there is now "new leadership" (same as the old leadership -- more or less) and Yasser no longer has control of the guns. Right? Wrong.
In a stunning (but widely unreported) move, Yasser took the guns back. And here's how he did it. Contrary to the long-standing international demand that the numerous palestinian "security forces" be reduced in number (to three) and concentrated under a single, independent authority (free of terrorist taint), Yasser has now split off the business elements of the security forces (General Intelligence, National Security, "Force 17" (a/k/a terrorist central), Military Intelligence and the Naval forces) and put them under his exclusive control or, to be more precise, under the exclusive control of a committee that he heads, with the able assistance of, you guessed it, Hanni the Man. This leaves the Interior Ministry in control of, let's see, Counterintelligence and the Uniformed police. Wow.
Not to be outdone, Abu Maz announced last night that he's transferring all Interior Ministry responsibilities into the capable hands of MoDa. Big deal. Nevertheless, the announcement provoked a hissy fit on the part of Yasser. I don't really think he cares, though. He's already stripped the IM of any real power or authority, and the guns are all back in his hands.
So what's the next move? And will the Quartet continue to plunge its collective head deeper into the sand or will there be some acknowledgement of the fact that these shenanigans basically negate all of the conditions for the release of the "Road Map" and put us back at Square One. Stay tuned for what is clearly shaping up to become the long awaited sequel, "Oslo II." Or is this "Oslo III?" More bloodshed guaranteed.
For a more comprehensive account of these developments, click here.
