Threatened by Palestinian unity, Israel walks from talks
One would think the unification of the Palestinian people would make the road to peace smoother, but nothing could be further from the truth. As Hamas and Fatah announce a new deal for uniting the two feuding factions into one governing body, Israeli Prime Minister issued an ultimatum. "(Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas) needs to choose between peace with Israel and an agreement with Hamas," Netanyahu said in a statement released Wednesday by his media adviser. "... Whoever chooses Hamas does not not want peace."
Literally placed in the position of having to choose between a sworn enemy and his own people, the Palestinian Authority leader responded with resolve, as he's announced several options at his disposal that could bring about Israel significant challenges. Threatening to dissolve the P.A. and just walk away, Abu Mazen, Israel could find itself expanding the world's largest open air prison Overnight. Israel would be immediately saddled with the responsibility of managing the lives of more than four million hostile Palestinians.
Finding themselves damned if they do "anything" and even more so if they did nothing, the Palestinian leadership made the decision that doing something, just might lead to something. Whether this latest attempt to wiggle free from the phycological illusion of peace negotiations will lead to Palestinian progress remains to be seen. But after doing nothing at the behest of the United States for decades, to be led in circles with nothing to show for their efforts but humiliation, only a fool would ignore trying something new.
Bottom line: Threatened by the power of Palestinians finally speaking with one voice, extremist elements in Israel (as per expected) bolted from the negotiations to allow the deadline for talks to expire. Willing to chance the status quo, Israel is making the biggest gamble of its short existence. Surely, a recipe for total disaster.
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