Experience thus far not encouraging. A Palestinian state is not possible without Israeli security. International guarantees and words on paper are not sufficient. Israel will not commit political suicide to please those who believe that Hamas are freedom fighters.

The Palestinians want to be handed over the West Bank through their interpretation of resolution 242. Then they want to be handed over Israel proper through resolution 194. (refugees returning) They figure the West is more likely to cooperate if they are unified. Israel doesn't agree to be Czechoslovakia in the West's attempt to appease the Palestinians.

This is the best thing possible for Palestinians. A soft terror group joining a hard core terror organization. Peace is again off the table. Some people simply do not learn their lesson!!!

Twas not to long ago that one was throwing the other of roof tops, and given the Arab psyche, it will, inshallah, not be long till the favor is returned.

This shows that recent events have caused a decline in American power in M.E.. It was not in Egypt, Fatah, and Hamas' interests to keep divisions. rather it was American and Israeli pressures on Egypt and Fatah to exclude and pacify Hamas.

There is no country called Palestine. It made up name by PLO. As long as Hamas wishes for Istael destruction an won't endorse prior agreements the only state will be in Abbas imagination. Israel should immediately end all water ,electricity or food into Gaza. No medical treatments for Gazans.Let Abbas handle it. Let mr Abbas handle those services

Gaza is caught in its own "Monkey Trap" with its hand in the gourd and too much greed to let go. So long as it hold on to the prize its fist is too large to escape the opening of the Gourd (ie trap). So too as long as they hold on to Shalit, the blockage and prison will continue to punish all Gazans. But just like the monkey the Gazans are too greedy and stupid to figure this out.

Reconciliation between 2 groups may impact in the possibilty of getting a state. It sounds like 2 fronts of violence to be ready for more violence. In the other hand, Abbas does not want to continue as president.

They know they will be shown the door in Syria, so time to go house hunting. Will Bibi allow Mashall and the gang to go to Gaza?

They are 100% more responsible for the "occupation" than Israel ever will be. They are the ones who threaten Arabs who doesn't mind working with Israelis. Arabs who just wants to live in peace with their neighbours. It happened in Gush Katif and it is happening right now in Yehuda and Shomron. They have created a nation of hate and that is a wound that will take generations to heal. A Palestinian state will always be invalid if they continue to demand a Hitler-like Judenrein state. These two and their cohorts are responsible for every Jewish man, woman and child who has been and will be murdered by Abbas' and Haniyeh's brainwashed compatriots. The future Palestinian leaders must show the courage to say that, of course, the Jewish people are welcome to live in our state, just as the Arabs are welcome to live in Israel, and we as any responsible state will do our best to protect the people who live on our land. Until that day a Palestinian entity can never be accepted by righteous people who believe in freedom. And if it doesn't happen, Israel must chose if she will expell all Palestianian Arabs from Israel, or make a full and lasting annexation of Arab occupied Yehuda and Shomron.

Have ever heard such self absorbed lies and nonsense? Here is a Myth/Quote: "He (Al-Ahmed) accused Israel of using the division to "shirk its international responsibilities" This statement is FALSE, why? Because Israel had no partner, this "unification"...false as it may be...it proof positive of that. The Arabs were in a civil War, Israel had nothing to do with that. It was an internal power struggle among the Arabs, to see who would lead the Arab people. The Pals killed each other, close to 1,500 KIA's, in their civil war. Remember we have in this article the Abbas admission that the unity government WAS THE OBSTACLE, NOT Israel HERE: "Our unity is our best weapon against the occupation." But it's interesting he refers to it as weapon, not a tool for peace, isn't it? In addition we have this: politburo chief Moussa Abu Marzouk announced..."After all the factions sign the understandings with Fatah and Hamas we shall form a new government" So we have MANY MORE factions left to sign besides just Hamas and Fatah. Plus the again the Admission of a "NEW" Government. Meaning there was not an old one to make a deal.

..as their attempts in the UN will be vetoed......then the action starts :)

and both were inexistent before the invading British didn't rape the land and created artificial "countries" that never existed in the first place. And the "balestinians" are an invention of Arabs and their racist collaborators to destroy Israel, and after that, to go again for a land grab like they did in '48. Their problem is that WE WON'T BE GOING ANYWHERE. Israel has existed on these lands 5000 years before any of the maggots who assume that they can push us around. We are still here and this time we're staying. FOREVER!

Is that even if this should come to fruition, it will be yet another calamitous event for the Palestinians....civil war is almost inevitable, A Taliban type organization (Hamas) will NOT accept a Baath style regime to exist for very long. Aiming for a state in the manner they are going about it is the detriment of the Palestinians.

Palestinians know that real peace may take a bit of time. Palestinians should adopt the strategy of peace to free Palestine with blessing of the international community which created Israel by “peaceful means” Balfour declaration, Haganah & Irgun, UN etc. The next generation will have to carry on and complete the peace of Palestine.

The Haganah & Irgun fought the arabs who refused to recognize Israel and invaded, after telling their fellow arabs to get out of the way. The Jews were ill prepared, but they won. The arabs still refuse to recognize Israel, As before, this will probably lead to war. With the IDF much better prepared than before. Israel doesn't want a war. But they will fight...and win. You are fooling yourself if you think "Palestine" can come into existence with no agreement with, and recognition of, Israel.

Israel's diplomatic incompetence opened the door for the Pals to decisively win in the UN…except now that the Pals have stopped negotiating and won’t recognize Israel’s right to exist, the US will veto any resolution on a declaration for statehood. The Western bloc may come to this conclusion too. If Assad goes (and he might), Iran may become bolder (and desperate) to project its influence in the Arab world, lest it fall to the same fate as other non-democratic regimes. The West is still too powerful to let the Persians gain control over the Mideast, and Israel has become a world-class economic and military power. The Pals, once again, have picked the wrong side, but this time they lose forever, big time. It is clear that war is coming, probably in 2012. Let’s hope and pray is stays conventional.

that statehood should come through negotiations. Abbas was angry and lost face through that one. He does not want the US to force him to the table to talk peace so he has grasped at a straw - an alliance with Hamas which will relieve him of that task. Abbas always looks for somebody to hide behind. First, it was Obama whom he thought would hand him a terrorist state on a platter - for absolutely nothing, not even an ounce of effort. Then he tried the EU but started to get some static from them. Now Obama has his own plan and Abbas is terrified of it as it will totally expose his hypocrisy and lies. So he turns to embrace Hamas. Well Hamas will fix him up good and proper. This is nothing but a confirmation of Abbas' weakness. He has handed over to Hamas because he does not want to deal with the issues. His fairy tales are not holding up anymore. How much more does Obama need to see in order to understand that he was backing a dead horse all along! Well, according to established Arab practice, the dead horse has handed itself over at its last breath to the strong horse.

US congressional foreign affairs committee said today that Abbas is NOT a partner for peace and that the US should STOP FUNDING the PA. That means that the US will be collecting weapons from the NEW pal organization (does it even have a name yet!?) and will no longer fund it's security apparatus. Hence, NO other country will be able to arm any Palestinians since the former PA has embraced a UN mandated terrorist organization. This makes Abbas, the former PA International outlaws and a terrorist group. Now there CANNOT be a Palestinian state in any way, shape or form. These idiots have basically shown the ultimate negation of any possibility of peace or nationhood. Now there will never be a Palestinian state and Israel has every right to attack, defend itself and annex the land and no one can say a damn thing. Farewell to the Palestinians, Al Aqusa, Dome of the Rock: Jerusalem is Jewish forever and Israel is united. Big dummies: you LOST EVERYTHING! Reconcile THAT!

Excellent post. If the world could only be so honest as abbas between the lines Thank you, jake

It is now clear that there will be no peace with the PA as it has shown its cards wants to go the Hamas way. Israel should now void all Oslo agreements and kick the PA out of Israel. The only option now for Arabs of israel to get an independent states is to go to Jordan. Jordan is already 75% palestinian.

your unity is like congratulating a person for putting out the fire that he started in the first place. You didn't have a "split" before Hamas began throwing Fatah members off of rooftops, arresting them, and shooting them en masse all over Gaza. To consider "unity" as historic is nothing short of idiotic. And it shows - Hamas just determined the foreign policy of "Palestinians" and ensured a future of war with the Jewish State, which essentially kills the State declaration doesn't it, especially since you'd love to cross Israel to go from Hebron to Gaza, right? Hysterical.

and if "Palestinians" want a State, being in a terror war with a powerful neighbor is no way to make that happen. Who will come to Hamas' aid - Egypt? Turkey? Iran? the EU? Wasn't long ago when protesters in Cairo were beating the crap out of anyone rumored to be a spy of Hamas. All this has done was take the last chance for peace through negotiations away from "Palestinians" and given power to islamists who want a perpetual fight. Might be good for "Palestinians" reputation in Damascus and Tehran, but not for the average Pally with a family to feed.

I give them until the first hour when they start dividing up the govt posts.

of a province in Syria, the true historical homeland of "Palestinians" since 50BC

Abbas: peace with Hamas or your resignation. next week in Cairo, Abbas and Mashaal signing constitution.