Fatah, Hamas proclaim landmark reconciliation pact

Don't you just love the Emperor's new clothes?

Now Hamas needs to recognize Israel for the sake of fruitful step going forward.

Next stop, the long awaited Palestinian state in October.

Isn't Israel a hoot? They stand alone, with bloodied sword over the dead body of peace, and point and exclaim "You killed her!"

Israel could not militarily defeat Hamas. Fatah could not militarily defeat Hamas. Time for a new strategy. But no surprise the Israeli government is not on board or remotely helpful. The last thing they want is peace.

"Isn't Israel a hoot? They stand alone, with bloodied sword over the dead body of peace, and point and exclaim "You killed her!"

Just a couple questions - should Israel fear a group like Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel?

How should Israel deal with Hamas, when Hamas executed scores of Fatah security personnel upon taking power?

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas brushed off the criticism and instead used the occasion to deliver a scathing attack on Israel, saying “we reject blackmail and it is no longer possible for us to accept the (Israeli) occupation of Palestinian land.”

Hahahaha, Hamas has NEVER accepted Israel's right to exist but now claim it's "no longer possible to accept Israel. It's the Palestinian's constant violence that drives a wedge between it and the rest of the world.

Germany’s foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, sounded skeptical about the unity pact, saying of Hamas, “Anyone who questions violently Israel’s right to exist is not a partner from our point of view.”

Despite an informal cease-fire that ended Israel’s punishing invasion two years ago, hundreds of rockets have been fired at Israel from Hamas-ruled Gaza.

should Israel fear a group like Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel?

You forgot, probably intentionally, that the charter also accepts the dissolution of Israel, meaning a Palestinian state covering all of what is now Palestine and Israel. You want to spin like every Israeli must die for Hamas to happy, and that is just spin and needless stirring of the pot, unless of course, you actually like conflict.

Yes, Israel should fear Hamas. That does not mean they have to stomp on it like the wife does a spider in the house.

How should Israel deal with Hamas, when Hamas executed scores of Fatah security personnel upon taking power?

Do you have to muddy every question? Well, depending on your ulterior motives, I suppose you do. Heaven forbid we powerless net posters just debate honestly!

The conflict between Hamas and Fatah is over. That was then, this is now. The way to deal with Hamas is to satisfy Fatah and the people of Gaza. Cut their legs out from under them. Recognize Palestinian independence and get off their backs. Give them East Jerusalem and any other place with a Palestinian majority. Give Israelis in Palestinians areas a grace period of 20 years to get out, and after that they will be adminstered by Palestine. And stop blockading Palestine of course.

"International mediator Tony Blair"

The only thing more anal than sending a man reviled in the arab world to "mediate" would have been sending the recently retired cowboy himself.

MrWoody

You're off in another world if ou really think anything good (for either Palestinians or Israelis) is going to result from this "reconcilliation."

Seems too early to tell how this will turn out. Maybe Fatah can take the edge off of Hamas. Unlikely, but there's always hope.

You're off in another world if ou really think anything good (for either Palestinians or Israelis) is going to result from this "reconcilliation."

The Israelis have personally guaranteed me that nothing good will come from this no matter how many airstrikes it takes!

Fatah and Hamas are both founded on terrorism and aren't really that different. Fatah is just a bit more diplomatic, but don't be fooled. Fatah shares common values with Hamas. In fact, master terrorist Yasser Arafat founded Fatah.

But no surprise the Israeli government is not on board or remotely hhelpful.

Why in the world would Israel be on board with a Hamas and Fatah alliance?

MrWoody

...no matter how many airstrikes it takes!

Are you sure you should be categorizing rocket attacks as airstrikes? No matter, I get your point that no amount of rockets fired into Israel by terrorists (state-sponsored or not) will produce anything good. : )

USNinJapan2, Israel goes for the Palestinian throat, and you complain because Palestine goes for the balls? Both sides are dirty, but if you are not willing to get to the source you either enjoy the cycle or are really blind. I seriously doubt that if you were in the Palestinian shoes you would do less. Who would?

Despite the rockets, Israel enjoys a lot more peace than the Palestinians do. Israel is the prime instigator here and until it lets go, I would not expect anyone to stop resisting.

But, I suspect you admire power a lot more than justice. Am I right? Practically a given by glancing at your avatar and handle. So naturally you support Israel. Its nice to be on the winning side most every day, but me? I have a conscience and its just not good enough.

No, I don't categorically support/admire powere over justice, regardless of how you psycho-analyze me from my avatar and handle. I do believe though that in a geopolitical stalemate like the Isreali-Palestinian situation both sides have to compromise and that justice isn't an all-or-nothing thing but served (hopefully) equally for both sides. They both have to meet in the middle and in my opinion this reconcilliation (or any move that gives Hammas greater voice/influence) hampers efforts by both sides to reach such an acceptable compromise.