GAZA, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Three years have passed since the al-Aqsa intifada began on Sept. 28, 2001, leading to the cycle of violence that has killed hundreds and has led to a virtual standstill in the Mideast peace process.
Palestinians say the intifada was sparked when then Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon, who is now prime minister, visited the Haram al-Sharif, in Jerusalem, one of Islam's holiest sites. It is also considered sacred by the Jews who call it the Temple Mount.
The Palestinians acknowledge, however, the visit wasn't the only reason for the outbreak of violence. The failure of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to reach a permanent solution to the Mideast crisis at Camp David, Md., created despair among both Palestinians and Israelis.
"The theory says if there is no peace, of course there will be a war," said Sami al-Hamami, a Palestinian taxi driver, from Gaza. "Wars can bring peace, but peace can never bring wars."
Many Palestinians believe if the intifada was as popular as it was when it first started, the situation would be different now. They say the intifada's transition from a popular uprising to an armed political movement has caused them to be viewed by the world as a bloodthirsty people.
The violence had undermined any chance of rebuilding confidence between the two sides. Palestinians view the armed militant attacks against Israeli targets as a reaction to Israel's military actions and incursions, its demolition of houses, daily arrests and the targeted killings of militant leaders. The United States and Israel view the Palestinian actions as terrorism.
The Palestinians reject that definition, however.
"Anybody who says the Palestinian intifada is terrorism is totally mistaken," says Zuhair Abu Madi, a Palestinian resident of Gaza. "What the Palestinians are doing is legal; they are occupied and their legitimate right to live free on their lands are violated by Israel everyday.
"... what do you expect these people to do?"
He said in the interest of fairness, Israeli actions against the Palestinians should be condemned, too.
In the past three years, militant groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad have become stronger and have gained much influence. It has become difficult for the Palestinian security forces to rein them in.
The only option the Palestinian leadership has is to convince them to call for a comprehensive, open-ended cease-fire. After the previous hudna, or calm collapsed, Israel threatened to expel Arafat. Subsequent Palestinian offers of a cease-fire have been rejected. Israel says the Palestinians should fight the militant groups or it will have to do the job.
Palestinian analysts say it is becoming impossible to end violence between the two sides.
"Both sides need not only a third party to bring them together and agree on a comprehensive cease-fire, but also an international interference led by the United States to pressure both sides to end this bloodshed and resume the peace process," said Ahmed Abu Jallalah, a Palestinian analyst from Gaza.
He said, however, the violence would not end until Israel stopped "caring about the world and believes that fighting ... militants ... before talking about any cease-fire" is the only way to reach a solution.
Most Palestinians also question the role of the United States as an honest broker in the peace process.
"When an Israeli is getting killed or even wounded, (President) Bush gets angry and condemns (it), while dozens of Palestinians, especially children, are killed and wounded everyday and he keeps quiet," said Abu Jalallah.
In the Palestinian territories, there were no rallies or demonstrations to mark the three years of the intifada. Many people instead looked closely to the formation of the new Palestinian government by Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qurea, also known as Abu Alla.
Abu Jalallah said he hoped Abu Alla would take the peace process forward.
"Let us wait and see what Abu Alla is going to do, and whether he succeeds in convincing the militant groups to halt attacks and convince Israel to go for a cease-fire," he said.
