A meeting in Qatar today has ended with the top two Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, agreeing to form a unity government in anticipation of new elections. The deal would leave PA President Mahmoud Abbas in his position.
The deal provided no timetable, however, which has led some to speculate that it will be just another empty exercise in negotiation. The two camps had struck a previous “reconciliation pact” in May, which has yet to lead to much.
Further practicality inactivity on the part of the Palestinian groups would suit the Israeli government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he has in the past, angrily condemned the agreement, saying Fatah could have peace with Israel or Hamas, but never both.
This has been Israel’s position for quite some time, but with the latest round of Israel-Fatah negotiation producing nothing resembling progress, the threat that Abbas won’t be able to look forward to his once yearly sit-down with Israeli negotiators to be reminded that Palestine will never be independent is unlikely to dissuade Fatah from moving forward on the deal.
It is amazing that Bibi told the Palestinian that if the unit they face no peace talks. Bibi is a hoot. How well did those talks go when they were not united. Bibi must fear that he sees the arabs organizing and understand that the zionist are united. Times are changing and it is time for Israel to make peace before the tide turns on them.
The Israel/Palestinian debacle is like a record that plays itself over and over and over in exactly the same way. Just a year ago, Fatah and Hamas shook hands, stroke a unity deal and Fatah was taking over. Israel came out screamed, whined, threatened and stole more land. Quietly but surely, the entire issue withered away and the world forgot about it. Soon enough, Fatah and Hamas were at each other's throats again. This time, I ain't getting excited because chances are that, much like the yearly peace charade, this will replay itself like last year.
The poor Palestinians are fighting a formidable force: Israel and their own leaders. There's no winning there, ever.