Israel Matzav

Bye-Bye 'Palestinian unity government'

Haaretz reports that we won't be seeing any more scenes like the one at top left anytime soon. Egypt has given up on trying to mediate a 'Palestinian unity government.' Instead, they are proposing to have two separate entities - the Fatah-led entity in Judea and Samaria, and Hamastan - and to agree on holding elections as soon as possible. But that may not be enough to satisfy Hamas.

Hamas has informed the Egyptians that it is demanding that Fatah release all of the group's members that are currently in Palestinian Authority prisons before the resumption of reconciliation talks in Cairo, which is scheduled for to take place in two weeks.

Hamas says that if its members are not released, it will boycott the Cairo talks, Israel Radio reported.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in comments published Saturday, says he will accept any Egyptian proposal on reconciling Palestinian factions that "would end the siege on the Palestinian people."

Abbas said he had instructed delegates from his faction, Fatah, to accept any Egyptian proposal on talks with Hamas that would end the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, in remarks published by the Egyptian magazine October.

"Egypt is the only country that knows how to deal with the Arab-Israeli conflict," said Abbas, adding that he would not accept any other country as a mediator.

Here's betting that if they ever get to the point of holding elections, Hamas will win them. Heh.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:11 AM