Israel Matzav

Which part of "I want to make peace with Hamas" does the State Department not understand?

On Wednesday, 'moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen called for 'dialogue' with Hamas. Curiously, he did so without mentioning his usual condition of Hamas returning the Gaza Strip to its status quo ante from June 2007, let alone the West's conditions of accepting the agreements with Israel into which his 'Palestinian Authority' has entered and eschewing terror.

It was also not clear from his wording whether he had dropped all preconditions. If Abbas were to start talking to Hamas, he could jeopardize the broad international support he gained after Hamas' Gaza takeover.

A close Abbas aide, Nimer Hamad, said circumstances dictate a dialogue now.

"The failure of the peace process, the tragic situation in Gaza, the entire Palestinian situation required thinking courageously of an exit," Hamad said. "We hope that Hamas will respond positively to the call."

But while the West feigned uncertainty as to what Abu Mazen went, Hamas knew right away and jumped at the opportunity.

In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Taher Nunu welcomed Abbas' offer. "We welcome this call by [Abbas] to launch a national dialogue, and we consider it a positive step," he said.

Abu Mazen referred to the Yemeni initiative. As you may recall, that initiative did not require Hamas restoring the status quo in Gaza, and after a representative of Abu Mazen signed it, Abu Mazen claimed he had no authority to do so.

But the State Department is in a state of denial and is claiming that Abu Mazen isn't really going to talk peace with Hamas while Hamas controls the Gaza Strip.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters Thursday that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Abbas and spoke with him about his short speech calling for unity with Hamas.

McCormack insisted that Abbas has not changed his conditions for dialogue with the rival terrorist faction, which the State Department spokesman said included recognizing Fatah as the legitimate PA authority and stepping down from power in Gaza.

Someone should ask McCormack and Condi to explain this.

Referring to the previous attempts to bridge the internal Palestinian rift, he called for "national dialogue to implement the Yemeni initiative in all its elements, to end the internal division that harms our people, (our) cause."

Abbas said if the talks succeed, "I will call for new legislative and presidential elections." Abbas won an election to succeed Yasser Arafat, who died in 2004, but Hamas swept his Fatah movement out of power in 2006 parliament elections.

Sounds to me like Abu Mazen is thinking of retiring again. And like the State Department needs to accept reality. The $7.4 billion man is a fraud. He only differs with Hamas on tactics.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:04 PM