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TURKISH POLITICS |  |
Murky finances |
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's (right) Justice and Reconciliation Party (AKP) swept to victory in Turkey's parliamentary elections in November 2002. * While the AKP came to power on the strength of its image as fresh and honest amid a sea of corrupt establishment parties, the AKP's own finances have become murky and worrisome, writes Michael Rubin in The Middle East Quarterly.
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THE INCLUSION OF HAMAS |  |
likely to toughen Palestinian positions |
Officially, the Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist movement Hamas clings to its long-term strategy and ideology of eliminating Israel and replacing it with an Islamic state over all of historic Palestine, writes Meir Litvak in Tel Aviv Notes. * Yet its acceptance of the "lull" and its possible incorporation into the Palestinian Authority political structures might be the first moves in a long and arduous process that could turn Hamas into a more moderate movement accepting a de facto coexistence, though not necessarily peace, with Israel. * At the same time, its refusal to relinquish its weapons points to its intention to emulate Hizballah's strategy of evolving into a major political party while preserving a military option for future use against Israel and potential Palestinian rivals. * The inclusion of Hamas in Palestinian decision-making processes is likely to toughen Palestinian positions in future negotiations with Israel and make it much more difficult to reach a peaceful agreement, concludes Litvak.
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SYRIAN STRANGLEHOLD ON LEBANON |  |
a wild tiger in the Middle East |
Damascus will not surrender control of Lebanon quietly, writes Brian Maher in the The Power and Interest News Report. * In the meantime, Washington and Jerusalem hope that the forces being unleashed in Lebanon will lead to a peaceful, democratic society that won't spawn another generation of militants. * Washington's shifting stance on Hezbollah's future in that country provides some insight into the complexities of the situation. * Teheran is also keeping a close eye on developments in Lebanon, ever wary of the threats to its own power in the region. * The world is currently riding a wild tiger in the Middle East, marking a great watershed in the history of the region -- which way it turns next is the big question, concludes Maher.
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ABBAS'S CHALLENGE |  |
Maintaining order |
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is under pressure to deliver what his predecessor, Yasser Arafat, would not: a consolidation of the disparate Palestinian security groups into a force strong enough to maintain order in Palestinian areas. * Esther Pan of the Council on Foreign Relations considers his chances of success.
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PRISONER RELEASE |  |
dilemmas for Israel |
In dealing with the question of prisoner releases, the government of Israel confronts a variety of pressures -- Palestinian political and human needs, Israeli security calculations and emotional inputs -- and it must strike a delicate balance between these conflicting imperatives, writes Yoram Schweitzer in Tel Aviv University's Tel Aviv Notes.
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