By Mahmoud Al Abed
English News Editor
Albawaba.com - Amman
The Israeli media on Thursday highlighted statements by hardline Fateh leader Marwan Barghouthi saying that the Palestinian Intifada activities will be tuned down to more peaceful, but mass, protests.
Barghouthi’s remarks came in an interview published in the pro-Arafat Al Hayat Al Jadida Palestinian newspaper on the same day.
The Jerusalem Post cited Barghouthi, who has always called for the escalation of the Intifada, as saying that the Intifada leadership, a coalition of 14 Palestinian movements including Fateh, was adopting a new strategy, which could see a scaling back of armed attacks.
Barghouthi explained that the Palestinians were keen for the uprising to once again encompass broad sections of the population - as it did in its early days when Israeli soldiers were confronted by mass protests throughout the territories.
Israel Radio, cited by Haaretz also referred to the Fateh leader’s statement, quoting him as saying a new Intifada command structure would be set up, in place of the present one headed by Islamic nationalist forces.
Hebrew website Ynet cited Barghouthi as announcing that the leadership will change its name to the Popular Committee of the Intifada.
The Islamist Hamas and Islamic Jihad are influential in the coalition, named the Islamist and Nationalist Forces, but Fateh remains of tremendous weight among the Palestinian resistance.
The Jerusalem Post quoted another West Bank Fateh leader, Faris Kadoura, who said Thursday that the Intifada had to “regain its popular nature if it was to produce diplomatic gains for the Palestinians.”
Over the last few months, the uprising has essentially assumed the form of guerilla warfare, with small, armed cells carrying out attacks on Israeli targets, mainly in the territories - a development that has come in for criticism within Palestinian society, claimed The Post.
"The popular dimension (of the Intifada) has been lost," explains Danny Rubinstein, veteran Haaretz commentator on Arab affairs. "There are no longer big demonstrations, only attacks by small cells.”
In an interview with Albawaba.com earlier March, Bargouthi acknowledged that certain factions and National Security personnel carry out military operations against the occupation army and the Jewish settlers on their own initiative in the West Bank and Gaza, but classified that under legitimate “national resistance.”
Many Palestinians believe that the predominantly armed form that the Intifada has taken on, has failed to produce diplomatic gains, and that an uprising that is characterized by broad-based, popular protests would be far more effective. "The Palestinians don't have a military advantage," says Rubinstein. "Their edge is on the public-relations front. The moment there are no mass demonstrations, and theirs becomes a guerilla war, it weakens their case internationally. A debate has been raging (among Palestinians) over why the Intifada has lost its popular element,” the analyst claimed.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has repeatedly demanded that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat call publicly on his people to stop the anti-Israeli acts. But Bargouthi said in comment that even if the president calls for that, the Intifada will not stop.
Bargouthi, however, has always been in favor of mass peaceful demonstrations, coupled with attacks on soldiers and settlers since the international community recognizes the settlements as illegitimate, and call for Israel to withdraw to the June 4, 1967 lines.
Rubinstein said that the debate was sharpened last week when marches by residents in protest over the Israeli army blockade of the West Bank city of Ramallah - especially the pictures of students lying down in front of army bulldozers - won broad coverage by the international media. These pictures, argue many Palestinians, are the most effective weapon in their struggle against Israel, while the footage of armed gunmen has a negative impact on world opinion.
This could ultimately mean a decline in armed attacks. "The firing on Gilo and on Psagot has almost stopped," says Rubinstein. "The aim is to restore the mass, spontaneous nature of the Intifada and to reduce the organized, military form it has taken on.”
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