Danny Rubinstein

The Palestinian leadership tends to view the relationship between Arafat and Rajoub as that of a father and a wayward son. As of Thursday afternoon, it was still unclear if the son was still head of preventive security in the West Bank.

Palestinian researchers warn that if their corrupt and inefficient national leadership is deposed, it will be followed by an upright and talented, but far more extremist and religious elite. Its name is Hamas

It was quite strange yesterday to see the procession of Palestinian figures praising the speech of President Bush. First of all, Arafat himself was quick to point out what he regarded as the positive components in the speech.

The Palestinian leadership cannot accept the condition stipulated by U.S. President George Bush that the current leadership - in other words, Yasser Arafat - has to be removed in order to realize the vision of a Palestinian state.

The first stage of reform in the Palestinian Authority, predictably, produced no changes. The heads of the security forces are still in their posts. In the meantime, Abu Ala is hospitalized with a heart attack and Arafat attended the funeral of Abu Mazen's son

The Palestinian response to suicide bombings has become routine: A condemnation of any attack against civilians, while placing the blame on the policies of Ariel Sharon's government.

The Palestinian papers constantly feature photos of walls, fences, ditches and other obstacles and roadblocks set up in numerous locations near the Green Line or in the vicinity of Jerusalem. They all have the same goal: preventing the passage of Palestinians from the territories into the State of Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces' latest incursion into Ramallah, undertaken while Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is visiting Washington, surprised the Palestinian Authority's leadership.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat yesterday accused Israel of trying to assassinate him, after his bedroom was hit by IDF fire during the overnight operation against the PA compound in Ramallah, where Arafat lives and works.

Despite the official condemnation of the terror attack that came out of the Palestinian Authority yesterday, most Palestinian spokesmen placed responsibility for the attack on the government of Israel.

Following a series of contacts and consultations between representatives of the Fatah movement and members of various Palestinian splinter groups, it appears that the new Palestinian cabinet will be based on the same coalition that governs the PA today.

Tension is mounting among the Palestinian leadership in anticipation of the upcoming publication of the composition of the Palestinian Authority's new cabinet and the amended structure of its security establishment.

Mohammed Dahlan, the head of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service in Gaza, will apparently be appointed deputy interior minister in the new Palestinian government.

The PA is embroiled in its largest campaign since Sept. 2000 to drum home that such attacks harm national interests. But few are listening, and leaflets are being distributed detailing how to build your own explosives belt.

A public battle between Jibril Rajoub and Mohammed Dahlan highlighted the complex relationship between residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The protracted infighting between the head of the preventive security apparatus in the West Bank, Jibril Rajoub, and his Gaza counterpart, Mohammed Dahlan, is one possible explanation for the continued terror attacks against Israel.

Yasser Arafat's speech to the Palestinian elected council yesterday, on the anniversary of the Nakba - Israel's declaration of Independence day according to the Gregorian calendar - confirmed the assumption of the last two weeks that the Palestinian leadership is making efforts to cease terror attacks

In Gaza, the cities and camps have merged into one huge sprawl. It's easy to understand the IDF's reluctance to move in.