Roughly 48 hours after the signing of the agreement between Hamas and Fatah to form a unity government and work together, trouble started brewing. While, we love the idea of Palestinian leaders holding hands, making out and holding a joint press conference, Arab news sources reported Mahmoud Abbas, the PLO chairman and the Palestinian president had a plan of his own.
In Ramallah during a Saturday press conference with EU head Javier Solana today. He insisted that Hamas accepts the two state solution in order to start working with them. Even according to this interpretation, Hamas would only be aligned with the next Israeli government, at worse.
Why is Abbas playing with conditions now? It could hurt the more important project of unity. Hamas Spokesperson, Aiman Taah:
Abbas statements jeopardize the chances of forming a unity government
Clearly, President Abbas has either changed his mind, or received a pissy call from Washington. Perhaps Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reminded President Abbas that he might be grounded and lose his allowance. Hillary herself is on the hot seat (imagine that) with some Jewish leaders for doing nothing more than stating the obvious, that Israel is not doing enough to alleviate the Palestinian suffering.
One thing is for sure, Algeria remains the the land of a million martyrs, but thanks to this unity agreement, Palestine is now officially the land of a million committees.
Related posts:
- Palestinian Kum Ba Yah
- United outside the system
- Hamas Recognizes Israel, Unity Government Agreed
- State of Emergency in Gaza
- Jimmy Carter On The Should-Haves Of US Foreign Policy
Look at the responses against Hillary, they range from the insulting:"I liked her a lot more as a senator from New York," Assemblyman Dov Hikind, D-Brooklyn, said. "Now, I wonder as I used to wonder who the real Hillary Clinton is." To the disbelief that anyone would be critical of Israeli noncompliance in allowing aid into the strip:"I am very surprised, frankly, at this statement from the United States government and from the secretary of state," said Mortimer Zuckerman, publisher of the New York Daily News and member of the NYC Jewish Community Relations Council.To the conspiracy theories:"We surely know what Hamas stands for as I say they are the forward battalions of Iran." To the "We want more Bush because he's good for Israel (who cares if hes bad for America):"I feel it's unfortunate that they don't continue the policy of the Bush administration, which was much more pro-Israel," said Akiva Homnick of Jerusalem. To the "I have family in Israel argument, thus we have to keep bombing Palestinians":"I happen to have a lot of family who live in Israel and I feel, personally, when you are dealing with people who are very strong against you, you have to stand up to them," said Tami Davudoff of Kew Gardens."To the ZOMG! we knew she was pro Palestinian when she made out with Suha!:"Hillary had Mrs. Arafat here and she invited Mrs. Arafat for lunch when she was the first lady," added Babak Chafe of Great Neck. "She is pro-Palestinian 100 percent, really. Of course, we always knew it."And Racist:"The easy way to make a peace agreement is to pressure Israel because you can't pressure the Arabs," said Solomon Loewi of Monsey, N.Y."
Posted by Arayus | February 28, 2009, 11:15 amgod thats stupid. Clinton pro-palestinian…dont make me laugh xD. she was just stating the obvious….heheheon topic:I wish Abbas stops with his stupid pre-conditions. the blood in Gaza hasn't dried up yet and all he can say is "recognize israel".
Posted by ananosa | February 28, 2009, 6:47 pmAgainst a state as militarily powerful as Israel, the two state solution is the only one you will ever get but it does not have to be largely on Israel’s terms. Abbas appears no more likely to end this conflict than Hamas.
As the agreements in Northern Ireland showed, those who appear too moderate at the outset are often not the solution as they don’t carry the rest with them. It was hardliners like Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley who brought about a (so far) lasting deal not jolly nice chaps like David Trimble.
Posted by xoggoth | March 1, 2009, 8:24 amPS I see Tony Blair is in Gaza, no doubt running up another huge protection bill for the British taxpayer. The peace process can never have enough self seeking egotistical parasites wandering about mouthing platitudes.
Posted by xoggoth | March 1, 2009, 8:32 amwe don’t agree on much xoggoth, but we definitely agree on that last sentiment.
Posted by Mohammad | March 1, 2009, 8:36 amDuring the last presidential election season in USA the price of the gallon of gas keep rising with intense media coverage (the Middle East issues took a center stage), when the price exceed $4 the coverage reach a fever level; Clinton challenge the American to do some math, while Obama & McCain play on the fear of the Terror "fiasco" (well established media image about the Middle East), as McCain put it (we will not hold hostage to the Terrorists) & to infuse the image with more "reality" the setting president Bush travel to Saudia Arabia begging for mercy & the King turn him back empty handed ?!
In less than one week after the election the price drop to less than $1.5 without a trace of media coverage ?!
The FACT is : 80% of the Arab oil revenue come back to the USA Big Co. at the end of the complicated economical cycle
The Core FACT : the USA is MANAGING the whole region (including the US public opinion) & since Management require Multi-Tasking ; the War-Peace is just another task
Here what does not and cannot work for all the Israeli as one think tank put it :
1) Israeli control; Neither side wishes to continue the situation that began in 1967, when the Israel Defense Forces took control of a population that is religiously, culturally, economically, and politically different and hostile.
2) A Palestinian state. The 1993 Oslo Accords began this process but a toxic brew of anarchy, ideological extremism, antisemitism, jihadism, and warlordism led to complete Palestinian failure.
3) A binational state: Given the two populations’ mutual antipathy, the prospect of a combined Israel-Palestine (what Muammar al-Qaddafi calls “Israstine”) is as absurd as it seems.
As we speak Clinton is traveling to the region, she said the United States could only accept Hamas in a unity government if it met three conditions (Recognise Israel, Sign on to previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements & Renounce violence — conditions)
and she added : If Hamas has refused to accept, I don’t think it will result in the kind of positive step forward either for the Palestinian people or as a vehicle for a reinvigorated effort to obtain peace that leads to a Palestinian state
The hero-traitor task is an invention of a defeated empty Arabic discourse
For different "political" reasons Hamas & Israel are in the same camp in rejecting the Palstinian State (two state solution)
Clinton conditions can be met easily by (Selective Language) Arafat style
All Palstine from the river to the sea is the HOMELAND of the Palstinians Whom all had the JUSTIFIED right to return
The Palstinian state depend on the gains that the Palstinians get from the moving "Unjust" regional & international balance of power
I have no problem Recognise Israel as a state , but I always reject & fight the Israeli CRIMINAL STATUS
Posted by RISKABILITY | March 1, 2009, 2:50 pmAbbas is a typical corrupted thug.
Posted by Ali | March 3, 2009, 7:23 am