Dear editors,

The introduction to the fight between Hamas and Fatah (in Socialist Viewpoint, July-August, 2007) was excellent and an accurate summary of what is taking place in the Gaza and the West Bank. As we all know, a grueling crisis of leadership exists in the Middle East. Finding a way back to a proletarian Marxist oriented strategy for liberation will be essential in the coming years.

Hamas, right now, is working within its very limited lights, but they have borne the brunt of Israeli aggression while trying to carve out some kind of civilization within occupied Palestine. The Wall Street Journal reported that Hamas found embarrassing information of CIA-Fatah arms and information exchange between the two.

Those who say to Hamas and Fatah “a plague on both your houses,” ignore the role of the U.S. as instigating this division that bolsters Israel’s stronghold over the Palestinians and their territory in stewardship for U.S. capitalist interests.

Our magazine today, though I’m not entirely sold on the magazine form, has a confident optimism for the U.S. working class and a comradely non-cheerleading concern for Arab fighters that are using the present blunted and chipped political tools at their disposal now.

Thank you,

Brian Schwartz, August 14, 2007