Dayton's Army

"Of course, no security challenge in the West Bank has come close to that of maintaining law and order during Israel's recent Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. Some predicted the operation would spark a third intifada in the West Bank, but the "days of rage" called for by Hamas failed to materialize. The professionalism and competence of the new security forces guaranteed a measured and disciplined approach. They allowed demonstrations but prevented them from becoming violent, keeping the protestors away from Israelis. For their part, Israeli forces trusted the PASF and deliberately kept a low profile, staying away from demonstrators and coordinating their activities with their Palestinian counterparts. The IDF even felt comfortable enough to deploy major units away from the West Bank in order to help in Gaza. Throughout this period, the lack of support for Hamas was clear, as most Palestinians seemed to blame the group for bringing chaos to Gaza. As such, the demonstrations against the Gaza operation, while widespread, remained under control and peaceful."