Nice show for the Western Media. But what does it mean, nothing. There are no agreements about Israel. So what's the point? They both still have their little fiefdoms. They will each let the others murderers go free to continue to kill, impressive. So they agreed to agree, but not till next month. Lets see how many rockets fly into Israel during that time. Will Hamas agree to honor all past agreements made by the PLO and Fatah? Will Hamas agree to accept Israel? Will Hamas and Fatah both agree to stop inciting hatred? Will the Intifada start on May 5th, about week from now? Nothing important was said, but what pretty photo opt.

This is actually evident of american influential decline in the region. It was not in egypt, fatahs, or hamas' interest to keep division rather it was America and Israels pressures to egypt and fatah to try to exclude hamas and peacify them.

No Hamas will not agree to past agreements, they will not accept Israel at least right excist not until she agrees to a perminment peace deal anyway. Hatred comes from the heart you cannot switch off or on like you asks. Only a perminment peace deal will lead to less hatred. An no there will not be a new intifada, as they plan to go to the UN and ask the general council for nation within 1967 boarders. This is the new plan. An consider 160 nations support it in the general council at the UN there nothing the US or Israel can do about it. The rumour going around is that if the no formal negotiations by September Russia and EU and China will also formally recognise the Palestinian state and shall help fund it. The US and Israel are going to become completely isolated on this issue unless they change there attitudes and plans quickly.

How heartwarming, smiles from ear to ear. The bobsie twins both dressed in brown. "Pact" my foot!--until the next rocket falls on southern Israel.

It's a reconcilation between Hamas and fateh It's not about peace with Israel at all

Armageddon here we come, and remember forks you heard it here... The world loses because God has plan and the losers (The Rejected) are not in it except for the glorifying God part when he kicks their asses! He will fulfill everything he said he will do for Israel, not the bull Amadinutjab was taught is going to happen, but God's word given to the world through Israel.

Restoration of national unity is paramount, more important than anything. Pressure from the Palestinian public has been on the increase and it is good to see that the leaderships of both Fatah and Hamas are receptive to this. A reconciliation agreement will reinforce the diplomatic position of the Palestinian people and will increase the chance that more nations will recognize Palestine in September within the 1949 borders.

If you want to see American decline, watch closely as they cast their veto in September. HAHAHAHAHA!!

You are correct. This will ensure there will be no peace with Israel. Regardless what the Useless Nations vote in Sept, there is no way Israel will give anything to Hamas again, ever. Missiles from the WB. It will be the end of Hamas, Fatah and whatever potential country the 'Palestinians' could have obtained.

there never was, is, or will be a palestinian state that will not want to destroy israel. palestine never existed as a state and hopefully will not exist adjacent to israel. if the people of the world knew that the palestinian authority, otherwise known as the palestinian liberation organization, was a terrorist organization, then there would be a different tone about all of this.

Pray tell how does one pacify a terrorist organization?

You sure got that right. No its not about peace with Israel. Its about all out war with Israel. Poor dumbo Abbas is.

Alofs, for how long do you think the "unity" between Fatah & Hamas will last ? They have been arch enemies for so long & bingo they are loving buddies now. Dont be so naive.

Fatah was supposed to be the "partner for peace." Hamas is obviously and clearly NOT anybody's peace partner. Hamas policy is for war, not peace. Fatah has chosen war.

non partisan experts are just political games and everyone knows it.

David you seem to forget that they will not make peace if it means accepting Israel, and even then they will not all mean it. Look at the 30+ years of peace with Egypt where reports yesterday said that 57% want to end the peace treaty. Look at the 20+ years of peace with Jordan where the population is mostly Palestinian and they want to undo the peace treaty. The Palestinians do not want a state, they want a return to the Muslim caliphate from Madrid to Libya just without the Ottomans.

...he would know that under International Law there are no 1949 borders. There are only Armistice lines. Under UN Resolution 242, borders are to be negotiated between the Arabs and Israel. Of course when Alofs sides with extreme right wing Islam, he becomes blind to the Law and reason.

UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW, are as defined in UNGAR 181 of November 1947, which partitions mandate Palestine in a Jewish and an Arab state. The validity of 181 has been reaffirmed by the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Declaring a state is not a popularity contest. As we know the UN voting on this or that doesn't necessarily make it law, does it? In fact almost all UN Resolution are non-binding therefore NOT Law. If you look it up a Unilateral Declaration: It is Illegal when it comes to International Law. There are numerous precedents to back this up (with other countries that tried and were rejected). So any declaration, regardless of how many countries may express an opinion that agrees, does NOT make it so, it's still illegal under International Law. As stated in Legal opinins: "The Palestinian entity does not become a sovereign state under international law by a unilateral declaration to that effect. For it to be eligible for recognition, the Palestinian entity must satisfy a specific set of legal criteria." Here are just 4 criteria: (there are others). 1. The entity must exercise effective and independent governmental control. 2. The entity must possess a defined territory over which it exercises such control. 3. The entity must have the capacity to freely engage in foreign relations. 4. There must be effective and independent governmental control over a permanent population. When you look up the legal definitions of each, sorry BUD, NO cigar. They fail the test. Remember the key word "ILLEGAL" that's what it is, not a popularity contest. We don't accept MOB RULE, but clearly written International Law. Like the flotilla, which declared the blockade "illegal", now after careful research that turned out to be false, didn't it David. The same is true here!

So now you imply Israel should withdraw to the1947 UN Partition Plan borders. Make up your mind. However, you are wrong (again!)since UNGAR 181 is not legally binding under International Law. It was the Arabs who refused to accept UNGAR 181 so they can only blame themselves (and right wing extremists like you) for Israel's future borders being larger than as was defined in UNGAR 181. Under UN Resolution 242, (which is legally binding under International Law) borders are to be negotiated. As usual, your right wing views cloud the reality.

Oh go tend the sick & needy in Burma,pleeeese

How kind of you to think Alofs has a mind!

I guess your sort of like a broken clock, with one exception, even a broken clock is right twice a day, you even lack that! But here is the legal reading of your remarks, clearly made with NO research, HERE: "The Palestinian dependence on Resolution 181 is equally untenable. For decades the Arab states and the Palestinians themselves declared this resolution legally invalid and ensured the irrelevance of its recommendations by mounting an armed attack on the fledgling State of Israel. In order to respond to the new realities created by this and subsequent attempts to destroy the State of Israel, the UN itself abandoned the proposal contained in Resolution 181, replacing it with Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, which have become the accepted basis for the peace process. " See what they're saying Ben? Your wrong, again. How does it taste?