Abu Ala said that such attacks turn the international community against the PA and damage the local economy. They also serve as "excuses to continue the comprehensive aggression and impose collective punishments, including... the road blocks and incursions, which cause daily harm to the dignity of hundreds of thousand of innocent Palestinian citizens, especially children, women and the elderly."
Earlier this week, however, the controlling organization in the PA, Fatah headed by Yasser Arafat, reaffirmed its commitment to terrorism against Israelis. In a communique issued by Fatah's Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades, the terrorists declared, "There is no option but resistance, jihad and martyrdom to force the Israeli occupation to abandon the territories and to allow the return of the refugees [to Israel]."
Also in contrast to the public remarks by PA leader Abu Ala, the Arab population of Judea, Samaria and Gaza sees terrorism as an effective means of obtaining their national goals. According to a recent poll carried out by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, two-thirds of the Arabs in Judea, Samaria and Gaza believe that Prime Minister Sharon's plan to withdraw from Gaza is a victory for the "armed struggle" against Israel. A majority of PA Arabs, 53 percent, support terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. The poll was carried out March 14-17 among 1,320 Arab respondents in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
Earlier this week, however, the controlling organization in the PA, Fatah headed by Yasser Arafat, reaffirmed its commitment to terrorism against Israelis. In a communique issued by Fatah's Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades, the terrorists declared, "There is no option but resistance, jihad and martyrdom to force the Israeli occupation to abandon the territories and to allow the return of the refugees [to Israel]."
Also in contrast to the public remarks by PA leader Abu Ala, the Arab population of Judea, Samaria and Gaza sees terrorism as an effective means of obtaining their national goals. According to a recent poll carried out by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, two-thirds of the Arabs in Judea, Samaria and Gaza believe that Prime Minister Sharon's plan to withdraw from Gaza is a victory for the "armed struggle" against Israel. A majority of PA Arabs, 53 percent, support terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. The poll was carried out March 14-17 among 1,320 Arab respondents in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.