MIDDLE EAST: Palestinians yesterday began to deck the main thoroughfare in Gaza city with red, white, black and green flags but celebrations of Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip remain muted.
The Palestinian Authority has designated October 15th as the day for popular rejoicing. By that time Palestinians hope they will have a measure of control over their lives and land.
President Mahmoud Abbas observed, "We see this as a historic moment, as Israel is leaving settlements for the first time since the beginning of the Arab-Israeli conflict."
But legislator Rawiya Shawwa summed up the feelings of most Palestinians here when she said, "Disengagement is not a Palestinian step. We have huge internal problems which are not going to be solved by the withdrawal. Nothing will improve unless we have economic development. For this we need freedom to travel and trade and control of our resources. So far Israel says it will maintain control."
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, held a prayer meeting in a mosque and staged a small rally by flag-waving youths on the steps of the media centre.
Hamas spokesman Ismail Haniyeh said Israel's withdrawal from the Strip after 38 years of occupation was a victory for "God and the resistance". He said the armed struggle would continue and Hamas would retain its rockets and arms.
The Gaza withdrawal, he said, is the "first step towards the liberation of the homeland . . . Gaza is not first and last".
He added: "The occupation will not end until Israel stages a complete and comprehensive withdrawal" from all Palestinian territory captured in 1967.
In an effort to dismiss dire predictions of unrest following Israel's pullout, he said Hamas was not a "governmental authority, not in conflict with the Palestinian Authority, and not above the law".
He said Hamas intended to foster internal unity and avoid civil war. "Our battle is with the Israeli occupation, not the Palestinian Authority." Hamas wanted to participate in the decision-making process and take power through the legislative elections, scheduled for January 21st.
However, relations between Hamas and the ruling secular Fatah movement remain strained following the failure of weekend talks to reach an understanding on how to proceed during and after the evacuation.
Hamas and Fatah are now engaging in bitter exchanges and there is some speculation that Hamas, which can muster 4,000-5,000 fighters, could take over Gush Katif, the largest settlement bloc in southern Gaza, once the Israeli army departs.
Hamas units are better trained and armed that those of the Palestinian security forces. Fatah has been seriously weakened by factionalism and infighting.