Partners in crime: Abbas, Mashaal and Haniyeh smiling in Mecca
Why Hamas came out clear winner from Mecca summit -Khaled Abu Toameh
A careful reading of the understandings between the two parties shows that Fatah has moved closer to Hamas, and not vice-versa.
Hamas's 4,000-strong paramilitary Executive Force will be incorporated into the Palestinian security forces, which means that their salaries will be paid by the US and the European Union. This is the same force that was recently outlawed by Abbas and condemned by his aides as a "bunch of murderers and gangsters."
The Mecca summit has enhanced Hamas's role as a major political force in the Middle East. The fact that Hamas leaders are put on equal footing with the heads of the Saudi royal family and the Palestinian Authority carries symbolic importance.
Hamas returned from Mecca with a pledge from Abbas that the Fatah-dominated PLO would open its doors for the Islamic movement to join the organization. This will turn Hamas into the second largest faction in the PLO after Fatah, and Mashaal will become Abbas's deputy once a deal is finalized.
[Jerusalem Post]
UPDATES:
Hamas Won the Jackpot - Ronny Shaked
The agreement will help Hamas recover from its economic crisis, strengthen its hold on government, and arrive at the next elections in a position to win the presidency as well as the elections for the legislative council.
(Ynet News)
The Mecca Deal and Beyond - Ron Ben-Yishai
Hamas will continue building its new military infrastructure in Gaza based on the second Lebanon War's lessons. The smuggling tunnels on the Philadelphi route are operating with no interruptions and the lack of monitoring at the Rafah crossing allows arms, technological know-how and terrorists to constantly pour into Gaza.
Therefore, it would be appropriate to keep expectations low in Israel and prepare for a situation where in a few months Israel will have no choice but to launch a wide-scale operation in Gaza.
(Ynet News)
The Mecca Accord (Part I): The Victory of Unity over Progress - Robert Satloff
With Mahmoud Abbas compromising on almost every critical issue to reach accord with the leadership of Hamas, the Mecca agreement blurs the distinction between moderate and extremist in the Palestinian camp.
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy)
Arabs Betray America - Nahum Barnea
In the Mecca agreement the American administration was betrayed three times: by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, by Saudi King Abdullah, and by Abbas. These three American allies ignored Condoleezza Rice's pleas and negotiated with Khaled Mashaal.
(Ynet News)
Congress Freezes $86M Meant for Abbas - Eli Lake
[The] chairwoman of the House subcommittee that funds the federal foreign operations budget, has placed a hold on $86 million in proposed security assistance to Mahmoud Abbas...
(New York Sun)
Another UPDATE:
The Islamification of Palestine - Father Raymond J. De Souza
The feuding Palestinian parties met in Mecca, an odd choice for a summit site because Palestinian Christians - a small minority, but historically active in Palestinian leadership - are not permitted to enter the city. Perhaps it is now simply accepted that the Palestinian question is to be understood as an exclusively Islamic question.
(National Post-Canada)
9 comments:
As bad as it is, once the Palestinians voted in Hamas, it was going to be more legitimate, no matter what. The Saudi's, looking to maintain relevancy as a newly empowered Iran tries to become the dominant force in the region (thanks in large part from all the help the US gave them by destabilizing Iraq and using up resources and credibility we badly need now to counter Iran's nuclear threat)felt they had to do something for the Palestinians, who are viewed as the poor and destitute Arab brothers leading the fight against Zionist oppression. While complex and difficult to assess for the future, a lot of what is going on right now was fomented by American policy. As usual, whether it is Iraqis or Israelis, others are taking the brunt of what we have created. Nevertheless, this is not the end of the story. As long as America and Israel offers a lot to the Palestinians, but delivers little but humanitarian aid until Hamas withdraws its assertions that Israel has no right to exist, eventually the poverty will get to the 'electorate' and they will bring about the change, hopefully, that outside forces have failed to do.
But the "Palestinian Authority" is not a democracy of any real sort.
The intervals between elections are ill established and Natan Sharansky's "town square" test fails miserably in the Arab portions of the disputed territories. Sharansky proposed that test to judge a truely free society: when one can speak freely without retribution. In fact, of the Arab and Muslim lands, only Turkey would pass that test.
As long as we see gangs of armed thugs shooting and hanging "collaborators" there will be no counting on the Palestinian electorate.
There is truth there, nevertheless, none of that elected Hamas. Poverty, discord and frustration did that. Hopelessness never breeds contentment. And even though it is their fellow Arab nations that ignore their plight, it will be up the Free West and Israel to provide the aid necessary, even though in the short run it may breed feelings of resentment and inadequacy.
Or perhaps Hamas is indeed a reflection of the Palestinian consciousness.
Maybe. But George W. Bush is not a reflection of the American consciousness, yet it took six long and damaging years for Americans to be fed up enough to bother to start to change it.
I thought we were talking about Hamas...but since you raised the subject:
Like him or not, one can fairly state that George W. Bush WAS a reflection of the American electorate.
I don't agree. We WERE talking about Hamas, and I believe George W. Bush was a reflection of American's fears and anger, at the time as Hamas was for the Palestinians. Just as Bush talked tough, but didn't have the planning, capability or honesty to back it up...so too will Hamas prove to be deficient. The Palestinians will not get what they want, or actually need, from Hamas. They may get some bravado and violence, which may make them feel something is occurring, but in the end, as the frustration mounts and the despair increases, much like with the American example, which was my point of bringing up America, since Hamas cannot deliver because its methods and reasoning are flawed, as America's was, what will happen is dissatisfaction will give way to marginalization. You have posted articles that said it was not occurring, but I am saying it might, but might take much longer, just as it took years in America before the people spoke--and voted--up.
Perhaps, but Palestine is not the USA, and the rules we work by don't always apply.
For marginalization [of Hamas] to occur, Palestinian Arabs would have to see frustration and dispair as a bad thing. In their upside down world, dispair and frustration are woven into the fabric of what is expected and nurtured...as long as it is directed toward Israel.
Our difference, Larry, is only in how sick we believe Palestinian society is. While I hope you are right, all signs point to the situation continuing to worsen...
Fair enough. That is probably what the difference boils down to, and I agree Palestinians and Americans do not necessarily work or think alike. Hopefully, they will start to worry about their children and their future more than they worry about there being a state of Israel.
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