Fatah has now made nicey-nicey with Hamas, who are committed to war and reject even the idea of peace talks. Fatah refuses to negotiate peace. It is clear that Fatah will never return to the peace talks, and instead will bypass negotiations by going to the UN, where there are more than enough countries with no principles who will vote them in. The consequences, of course, mean war. The PA has shown clearly that it has rejected a negotiated settlement.

On the contrary, it's very clear. Security coooperation, for whatever it was worth, is over. As usual, the assumptions upon which policy is made, was wrong. But, we've been doing everything wrong for 60 years, even worse, for the last 20.

I wonder why it took Palestinians so long to follow suit.

Well, soon the united palestinian government (hamas+fatah) will be counted accountable for Shalit... This government who want to have a state and a siege at the UN will have to explain how it can detain an hostage with no visit for the family... Now, it is M. Abbas responsibility ;-)))

I am surprised you will print points of view that are contrary to "the party line". Your paper is not alone. America's media is generally reluctant to take the risk of a truly open "free press" too. Speaking is a risk. Printing is also. Now people who run "the government" know who we are. I am old and have less regard for "let's pretend"; I hope the young can change what my generation could not.

Both sides have entered into this relationship as a way to win friends and influence in each others camps, with a view to taking power. Hamas has been steadily growing in influence on the West Bank already and sadly it is only a matter of time before the carpet will pulled away under Fatah's feet, quickly if they stop getting aid from the USA and Iran continues to bolster the resources Hamas.

Fatah started as a unit of Egyptian intelligence supported by the Soviets to attack Israel. It later transformed to something like the governments of Saudi Arabia and Mubarak: corrupt organizations funded by the Americans to oppress the Arab masses. After Arafat murdered all the peace-loving Arabs who wanted to live with Israel, and after almost 20 years of conditioning to Jew hatred, Hamas is the true voice of the Arabs in Gaza, Judea and Samaria. After Obama abandoned Mubarak and with the imminent overthrow of Saudi Arabia, Abbas sees that his only chance is to ask Hamas for protection.