The dueling states of Palestine
Hamas-organized protests on Land Day and Nakba Day in Gaza appear planned to lead to bloodshed, while in the West Bank, the PLO is planning on recognizing a Palestinian state.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh delivered a sermon in Gaza on March 9, calling on residents to march toward the border fence with Israel and protest the Israeli siege. “We will not be able to control tens of thousands of civilians who join marches in the north, east and south of the Strip,” Haniyeh warned.
Haniyeh's message was directed at Israel and perhaps Egypt as well. It implied that although Hamas has so far controlled the number of protesters who gather every Friday at the fence, it is now giving the nod to mass demonstrations and clashes with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), deployed on the other side.
