By Andrew L. Jaffee

For years we’ve heard the yadda yadda about the “cycle of violence” between Israelis and Palestinians, which Max Abrahms of the National Review has aptly termed a “fallacy.” If we want to examine a true cycle of violence, we only need look at the current Palestinian civil war, where “Unfinished business [revenge] between Gaza’s powerful clans is one of the main threats to the power-sharing agreement signed last week between the Islamic militant group Hamas and the Fatah movement,” according to the AP. But in a sickening twist to this clan feud, scores can be settled with money — $47,000 per victim — just as Palestinian parents used to sell their children as homicide bombers, getting $10,000 to $25,000 from Saddam for each bomber they produced:

Khamis Bakr, the local Fatah leader, said Saturday that despite the Mecca truce, the clan will not rest until justice is done.

“We are happy with the agreement,” Bakr said. “We hope that our son will be the last victim. But the family still wants the blood of Mohammed to be avenged. Hamas has to hand over the killers, either to the family or to a court.”

With Gaza’s judiciary barely functioning, it is unlikely any of those involved in killings would be brought before a court. Factions would also balk at handing over their fighters, particularly since it would be almost impossible to determine who did what in the chaotic battles.

Another option is to pay compensation to the bereaved families, in line with Islamic law. In Gaza, the going rate per victim is $47,000. Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas said in a speech last month that the families of victims could be compensated.

Bakr declined to say what steps he might take to avenge his nephew’s death.

Leaders from Hamas, Fatah and smaller factions acknowledged Saturday that clan revenge for dozens of victims could easily bring down the Mecca agreement.