This from Ha’aretz, via OpinionJournal’s Best of the Web:

In the report, the Palestinian Authority’s Interior Ministry cited 219 deaths as a result of inner-Palestinian violence compared to 218 deaths at the hands of Israeli security forces over the course of the first nine months of this year. The statistics reflect the relative calm in the territories vis-a-vis Israel as well as the increasing anarchy in PA-controlled areas.

As I have previously stated, I believe the Sharon administration expected this prior to their turn-over of Gaza. This is strong evidence of Palestinian incapacity for self-government.

But, beyond that, like al-Qeada, and the general Islamic Fundamentalist movement itself, this is an indicator of Islamic society’s internal collapse. It is important that we in the First World frame our philosophical thinking, vis-a-vis the GWOT, to this reference, moreso than simply a lashing-out against us.

But, more specifically, we in the United States must keep this in mind, as we endeavor to gently guide Iraq towards the establishment of a liberal democracy.