The Editor, Sir:

John Rapley's article on 'Peace, for now, in Palestine' is a very informed piece, but to someone who has worked in Ramallah, in the occupied Palestinian territories for three years now, there is a bit more to this. Forgive my pessimism but "It's the worst possible thing that could happen to Palestinians" is a phrase I have heard innumerable times over the last few years; onevery occasion denoting a different "worst possible thing."

Form a unified government

If the agreement reached to try and form a unified government again turns into a quagmire (no unthinkable), we will instantly be back to fierce infighting between Hamas and Fatah. Fatah, too, seems to be moving more towards Hamas than vice versa. I suspect Israel must quietly be pleased with the Palestinians apparently shooting themselves in the foot by such internal fighting. They think it will show the world (most of which can't be bothered much to hear more about Palestine's problems, due to sheer news-fatigue) that Palestinians, left to their own devices, will start killing each other, thereby presumably justifying Israel's harsh policies in containing the 'Philistines'.

This is a country where a seemingly harmless archaeological dig around the outskirts of the Temple Dome or the Haram al-Sharif in the old city of Jerusalem, rapidly degenerates into 'digging into holy ground', in the process setting off full-scale riots and running battles at this holy site between Palestinian Friday prayer worshippers and the full force of Israeli police drafted into the area (just 300 metres from my bedroom window, incidentally), with implications that it may just tip the Palestinians over into the third Intifada.

I am, etc.,

FELIX KREMER

felixkre@yahoo.com

The Hague, The Netherlands

Via Go-Jamaica