Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Don't hold your breath: no peace anytime soon


Can Hamas Be Trusted? -Nadim Koteich

In February 2007 Saudi King Abdullah oversaw the formation of a Palestinian national unity government. The deal announced from Mecca put Mahmoud Abbas and Meshaal on the same level and $1 billion was promised in aid.

Less than four months later Hamas militiamen were throwing Fatah supporters from high rise buildings in Gaza, dragging the bodies of "collaborators" through the streets and stretching the borders of Iran to meet those of Israel while consolidating its stranglehold on the Strip.
(Middle East Times)


The Mother of All Quagmires -Michael J. Totten

Hamas does not speak for all Palestinians, but let's not kid ourselves here. Hamas speaks for a genuinely enormous number of Palestinians, and peace is impossible as long as that's true.

The "occupation" in the Palestinian narrative doesn't refer to the West Bank and Gaza, and it never has. The "occupation" refers to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. A kibbutz in the center of Israel is "occupied Palestine."
(Commentary)
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