As much as I'd like to be optimistic, and judging by the comments from Palestinian supporters above, I find it almost impossible to be so.

Meanwhile, Mr. Abbas's Palestinian supporters expressed hope that the election outcome would signal an improvement in their fortunes.

Nonetheless, a Western diplomat said, the crisis prompted Tunisian authorities to post a watch list of unwanted Palestinian supporters at the country's tightly controlled airports.

"It's not clear what that amounts to, but there is a concern to take that argument out of the hands of the Palestinian supporters."

Palestinian supporters of the agreements, like their Israeli counterparts, talk of an "historic achievement" and a "new era."

The pro-Israel students say that the Palestinian supporters chanted anti-semitic epithets at them, such as "Hitler should have finished the job."

I can understand the Palestinian supporters' displeasure with the BBC.

Israeli soldiers buried Akel in a cemetery in the Jabalia Camp at night to avoid demonstrations by Palestinian supporters.

Suddenly Israeli troops were in Beirut, forcing Mr. Arafat and his Palestinian supporters to flee.

The riots are regarded as reflecting tensions between the Palestinian supporters of Al-Wahdat and the Al-Faisaly fans, mostly of east bank origin.