Transnational Ownership and the Palestinian Uprising

The recent Palestinian uprising should hardly be a surprise. When “peace” means being harassed and humiliated by an occupation force, having no job and becoming poorer and poorer, people often rebel – with or without their leaders’ consent. The Israeli response to the uprising, on the other hand, is puzzling. Prime minister Barak has been using force, threatening Arafat with deadlines, and declaring the immanent death of the peace process. Yet his actions seem confused, indeterminate, and above all lacking a clear goal. What is it exactly that Barak wants to achieve, and how does he think he can get there? Why does he insist on peace, while at the same time being unwilling to create the minimum conditions to make such peace viable?