THE PALESTINIAN CHOICE AFTER FATAH AND HAMAS IS NOT AL-QAEDA. While everyone has been operating under the assumption that the the battle for the hearts and minds of Palestinian Arabs was between Fatah and Hamas, the third option exists and is growing stronger--and we are not talking about Al-Qaeda.

According to The Telegraph:

But by night, the growing number of supporters of Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Islamic fundamentalists who reject modern democracy in favour of a pan-Islamic religious caliphate, are gathering in the West Bank to recruit the thousands who have grown disillusioned with the vicious stand-off between the secular Fatah and Islamist Hamas.

But the question of whom Palestinians are prepared to support is not the real story. TigerHawk points out the real implications:

The linked article from the Telegraph mostly focuses on Hizb ut-Tahrir, and whether it is in fact a dangerous foundational organization of the jihad. I think the Telegraph has buried the lede. The real story is that the quoted Palestinian Arabs have, first, given up on the idea that they can arrive at an effective government on their own; second, rejected popular sovereignty as a source of legitimacy; and, third, decided that Palestinian Arabs should not exist as a separate national group but as a constituency in a "caliphate" encompassing all Muslims.

In other words, these Palestinians agree they are not a nationality, that they should not determine their own government, and that they must be governed by others. They simply prefer that the "others" be Muslim rather than Jewish. And, when you get right down to it, what Arab Muslim wouldn't prefer that? Other than those who live inside metropolitan Israel, of course, who for whatever reason have chosen not to emigrate.

My question: What proportion of Palestinian Arabs would have to hold these views before the rest of the world admits that they are not, really, a nationality? [emphasis added]

Probably 100%--and then some.
The world is far too set in certain notions, that it can never let go and look at the Middle East in any way other than it has be led to.

See also Fatal Misconceptions.

[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Israel and Hizb ut-Tahrir.