When I sat down with newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad earlier this year, I couldn't help but imagine him working at Brooks Brothers: cufflinks, an elegant silk tie and a worn face that moved reluctantly, letting out only the most necessary words. He was familiar with a frosty demeanor -- I would have sworn that he or a twin had measured me for a suit the week before.

The less than charismatic figure that I was interviewing was, at that point, the finance minister for Palestine's unity government. And what Fayyad lacked as an orator he more than compensated for with training, connections and understanding of the plight of the Palestinian people.

Most importantly, it quickly became clear to me that Fayyad knows how to play the game. When Fayyad first met President Bush in 2003, he threw two fingers up in the air above his head, forming an unmistakable Texas Longhorns sign. Ever since that first meeting, he and Bush have been close.

In Europe and Israel, Fayyad is equally well respected. His decades of work at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have garnered him respect and notoriety literally around the globe. He's been invited to Ariel Sharon's ranch, and even sat next to Sharon at the wedding of a prominent Israeli's daughter.

The looming question: Can the nondescript economist, who speaks the language of the West so well, translate the respect he's earned overseas into popularity in the Palestinian territories? Can this calm, coiffed man lead an impoverished nation that's been driven to such violence?

Following his rushed swearing-in ceremony last Sunday, Fayyad appealed to the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza: "You are in our hearts, and the top of our agenda," he said. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri immediately dismissed Fayyad as an "illegitimate" lackey of Israel and the United States.

Predictably, the well-intentioned words of Dr. Fayyad fell on deaf ears. An opinion poll conducted by Near East Consulting found that one in three Palestinians supported Fayyad. Only half that number backed Hamas, and a sizeable 43 percent said they trusted neither Fatah nor Hamas.

But Fayyad, despite these numbers, finds himself with an incredible, albeit narrow, opportunity. As factionalization reaches a new level, and with Hamas' security force largely locked down in Gaza, Fayyad, for a moment, will have room to work.

As the cash flows in from all corners of the world, Fayyad may be presented with the chance to win hearts and minds with something besides oratory, something the Palestinian people have longed for generation after generation: results.

With Palestine's biggest supporter, the E.U., poised to reopen financial support, the U.S. freeing up $86 million in aid and sending another $40 million via the United Nations, and Israel moving to unlock the first payment of $700 million in back taxes it's collected but frozen, Fayyad will have some cash to move around.

Although he's quick to remind people that the conflict with Israel is a political situation requiring a political solution, Fayyad would be served well by sticking to what he knows best. Outside relations to advance introverted reform and economic development should be the hue of his tenure. While the situation in Gaza is troubling, the international community should, and will, stave off any humanitarian crisis.

Fatah, Fayyad and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas must turn inward. Using their clout and leverage with the West, they must lift the suffocating forces that have stifled growth in the West Bank. All the charity in the world won't be able to revive the Palestinian economy if the roadblocks and checkpoints of the Israel Defense Forces are left in place.

And so, the tale of two Palestines may be about to begin. Past attacks by Hamas in Gaza have often spurred reprisals in the West Bank, but the atmosphere this time is decidedly more serious. Given the weakness of the unity government and the failure of Hamas-led rule before that, Palestine, or at least half of it, looks to be heading toward the single-party leadership it needs to inch forward.

Further, the potential for political gain for President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is so great that both are likely to continue cutting checks if Fayyad is able to deliver even modest achievements, provided there are no further attacks on Israel from the West Bank.

But, as always in the Middle East, success will not be accomplished in a vacuum. Iran and militant groups are assuredly weighing the consequences of a stable West Bank.

The world will watch closely as Fayyad tries to make the best of this brief window in history. As he sets to work, one thing will become clear very quickly: No frat-boy gesture or secret handshake will make the slightest difference as he attempts to sell himself to the citizens of the West Bank.

To find out more about Brian Till and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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