In June 2007 civil war broke out in the Gaza Strip between two rival Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah. Western peace efforts in the region always focused on reconciling two opposing fronts: Israel and Palestine. Now, this careful exploration of Middle East history over the last two decades reveals that the Palestinians have long been a house divided. What began as a political rivalry between Fatah's Yasir Arafat and Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin during the first intifada of 1987 evolved into a full-blown battle on the streets of Gaza between the forces of Arafat's successor, Mahmoud Abbas, and Ismael Haniyeh, one of Yassin's early protégés. Today, the battle continues between these two diametrically opposing forces over the role of Palestinian nationalism and Islamism in the West Bank and Gaza.In this thought-provoking book, Jonathan Schanzer questions the notion of Palestinian political unity, explaining how internal rivalries and violence have ultimately stymied American efforts to promote Middle East peace, and even the Palestinian quest for a homeland.

A gripping history that explodes the myth of Palestinian unity

Foreword by D.Pipes Introduction: Islamism vs. Palestinian NationalismThe Roots of Hamas and FatahHamas, Fatah, and the First IntifadaHamas Under FireHamas, Fatah and the Oslo YearsHistory Repeats: The 2000 IntifadaFitnaHamas Digs InPrelude to WarHamas Conquers GazaFatah's West BankThe Threat of al-Qaeda in GazaThe Gaza-West Bank SplitAnnapolis and the Hope for PeaceThe Effect of SanctionsThe Winds of WarThe Prospects for Change from WithinConclusion: Between Fitna and FulfillmentAcknowledgementsAbout the Author