Acting institutions of the PLO, the Palestinian Authority and the ruling movement FATH proved while Arafat was fatally ill that they could maintain law and order in the Gaza strip and on the West Bank. "The territories have been steady ever since Arafat fell ill or since we learned it. I don't think things will change now," the expert said to Novosti.
As for the HAMAS, Islamic Jihad and other radical groups, Israeli soldiers and secret services have drastically undermined their potential. More than that, Muslim radicals now have a chance to join the Authority in a non-violent way, Israeli analysts reassuringly point out.
True, there are semi-official paramilitary formations, such as the Al-Aksa Martyr Brigades. They were subordinate to Arafat alone, and he alone knew what they were after. None but those groups can offer any problems now, says Mr. Marzuk. He, however, hopes they will try to get on a legal footing and join Palestinian Authority law enforcement bodies.
Israeli authorities are in no hurry to make official forecasts of Palestinian developments or comment Arafat's death.
"I can say only one thing now-we should like to see on the Palestinian top people dedicated to peace efforts, ready to fight terrorism, and willing to have negotiations with Israel," David Saranga, Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said to Novosti.
