palestinian civil war watch: Haniyeh’s not dead yet

There was an optimistic article in Ynet recently:

Fatah, Hamas agree to end violence
Palestinians hopeful that agreement reached between factions through Egyptian mediation on cessation of hostilities will hold

Nope, it didn’t.

Haniyeh escapes convoy attack
Palestinian security officials: Disgruntled relatives of Fatah activist killed in recent internecine fighting with Hamas fire at Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s motorcade as it drives through Gaza, but Hamas leader’s armored Mercedes car not hit, no injuries reported

Palestinian security officials said disgruntled relatives of a Fatah activist killed in recent internecine fighting with Hamas fired at Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s motorcade as it drove through Gaza on Friday, but the Hamas leader’s armored Mercedes car was not hit and nobody was injured.

Officials in Haniyeh’s office said the attack did not appear to be an assassination attempt, but it comes at a time of growing tensions between rival Palestinian factions that have sparked fears of civil war.

It’s a shame the shooter missed. And by the way, Reuters: “all right” are two words.

“The prime minister is alright and he is out of the area which witnessed the gunfire. His car was not attacked,” one official in Haniyeh’s office said.

I think it was a warning, and it probably came from Abbas. Hamas has been going after Fatah bigwigs lately. From one crime family to another, the Mideast’s only UN- and EU-funded crime syndicate is having some internecine warfare.

I don’t believe you will see either leader assassinated, because that’s the “red line” that would cause a true civil war. Nothing less than a real attack on Haniyeh or Abbas will do it.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.