PALESTINIANS: A FISSION OF THE FUTURE: Asaf Romirowsky wrote an article appearing in Middle East Forum that Palestinians are divided by more than just allegiances to Fatah or Hamas:

In practice, all factions within Palestinian society saw Arafat as their leader for many years. The so called "cohesiveness" amongst Palestinians is now non-existent and Palestinians are now divided more than ever by region, by tribe and clan, and by religious outlook. The acrimony between Palestinians that Arafat managed to paper over is now on display as a civil war develops in the Gaza Strip. As journalist Nicholas Jubber writes, "the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are divided by their unequal economies, distinct dialects, and cultural animosities forged by their pre-1967 experiences under separate regimes—Nasser's Egypt and King Hussein's Jordan." In terms of an extended social network, West Bankers do not rely on their "Palestinian brothers" in Gaza but rather on their families and friends in Jordan. And Gazans do the same thing with Egypt.

Seems that uncontrolled hatre, Anti-Semitism, and terrorism really are not a substitute for national identity after all.

Update: Soccer Dad points to this article on MEMRA from November 1997--Arafat Revives Tribal Power:

"For Palestinian analysts like the sociologist, Isah Jad, the PA's
"revival of tribal structures" is not only inimicable to Palestinian hopes
for a law based and democratic society. It is corrosive of the modern
national consciousness Palestinians have forged out of their conflict with
Israel. For 30 years, says Jad, "the national movement conducted a long
struggle to weaken loyalty to the family and the tribe and strengthen the
concept of nationalism and loyalty to the homeland. Any rebuilding of
tribal structures will reinstate the family and the tribe as the
individual's first loyalty."

Technorati Tag: Palestinains and Gaza and West Bank.