Dangerous and False PA-Hamas Unity

[aris2chat]

PA gained entry to gaza, for the moment, and the opportunity to scheduled election.
Hamas will benefit the most.


Dangerous and False PA-Hamas Unity
israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/15119

As long as the military branch of Hamas stays independent, there is no Palestinian Arab unity. Instead of the PA regaining lost Gaza, Hamas is gaining more access to the 'West Bank' and a greater role, inimical to Israeli-PA peaceful co-existence.

Published: Friday, June 06, 2014 2:30 PM

The new Palestinian “unity” government is not about the reestablishment of one Palestinian political entity that could develop into a functioning Palestinian state. Already in the early 2000s, the Palestinian Authority (PA) degenerated into a failed state as it lost monopoly over the use of power in the territory under its jurisdiction with the advent of several competing militias. Indeed, in June 2007 Hamas orchestrated a military coup that put Gaza under the control of this terrorist organization.


The Palestinian “unity” deal reinforces the negative image Israelis have of their close neighbors: that Palestinian Arab society is addicted to violence, where the shaheed (martyr) who attempts to kill as many Jews as possible – is the role model.
Despite the current “unity” discourse, the Palestinians remain as divided as before. The only true test for “unity” of a political entity is monopoly over the use of force. As long as the military branch of Hamas remains independent, there is no unity; just evidence of the “Somalization” of Palestinian politics. Islamic Jihad also remains fiercely independent in Gaza, as well as other Jihadist organizations.

In fact, under the current accord, instead of the PA regaining lost Gaza, Hamas is gaining better access to the 'West Bank'.

Unfortunately, what is happening in the P'A territories is part of a larger phenomenon characteristic of much of the Arab world before and after the so-called “Arab Spring.” Lebanon, Somalia Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen and even Egypt are plagued by a plethora of militias eroding the exclusive control of the central authorities. It is not clear to what extent Palestinian Arabs are able to move beyond this general Arab political malaise.

In fact, it is hard to believe that Hamas will give up control over Gaza. The de facto statehood which Hamas enjoys is good business, as it allows for the extraction of taxes and fees. In addition, it serves the extremist Hamas ideology that demands building Islamist political structures and keeping alive the military and theological struggle against the unacceptable Jewish state.

Hamas has made it clear that it has not mellowed one bit on this issue. It also hopes to get a better foothold in the ;West Bank; to fortify its role in Palestinian Arab society. Hamas seeks to emulate the road taken by Hezbollah in gaining political hegemony in Lebanon while maintaining a military force independent of the central government.

The reaction of the US and the EU to the new government –business as usual – is counterproductive and morally wrong. This approach helps the Palestinians evade facing their fundamental dilemma in state building: that there is no chance to attain statehood without achieving a monopoly over use of force. Thus the current Western stance, which allows for the continuation of a fragmented Palestinian Arab polity, makes the establishment of a real, stable Palestinian Arab state more unlikely than ever.

Continuous economic support for a failing Palestinian order preserves its dysfunctional characteristics and does not encourage the Palestinians to make the needed difficult choices.................................

 

[waltky]

Israel Strikes Hamas After Rocket Attacks...

Israel strikes Hamas targets in Gaza in revenge
June 14, 2014 -- The Israeli Air Force (IAF) bombed two targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday after militants in the enclave fired a rocket into southern Israel, the Israeli army said in a statement.

The strike came hours after a Qassam-type rocket landed in an open area in the western Negev, setting off air raid sirens in Israeli communities bordering Gaza. No injuries were reported.

The airstrike targeted "a terror activity site" and a weapon storage facility in southern Gaza, the Israeli military said in the statement, adding that direct hits were confirmed.

Israel's Ynet news site quoted Palestinian sources as saying that IAF aircraft fired two missiles at a facility run by Hamas' military wing near the Islamic University, east of Khan Yunis. A second strike reportedly targeted an uninhabited structure in Rafah. No injuries on the Palestinian side were reported in either attack.

Israel strikes Hamas targets in Gaza in revenge | GlobalPost

 

[MHunterB]

Even the leftist fringies over at 972 are wondering about Hamas in the Pal "government"!


West Bank kidnapping: The Palestinian unity government?s first real test | +972 Magazine

West Bank kidnapping: The Palestinian unity government's first real test

Regardless of who is responsible, the new Fatah-Hamas unity government will be watched closely for its response to the kidnappings.

Hours after a gag order prevented the Israeli media from publishing the story, we can now report that three Israeli teens, who study in the West Bank, have even missing since Thursday night. The IDF fears that their lives are in danger after being kidnapped, and that they may be held in the Hebron area. Both Palestinians and settlers have been reporting about military operations in both the south Hebron Hills and the nearby city of Yatta throughout the day. There were also reports of gunfire being exchanged between the army and armed Palestinians. Rumors abound on social media outlets, though it is too early to say what exactly happened.

What is certain is that if the three were indeed kidnapped by Palestinians, and let’s hope they are released soon, it will be the first test for the new Palestinian unity government. With the its establishment in Ramallah last week, Mahmoud Abbas declared that the Fatah-Hamas partnership, which is at the basis of the government, includes respecting prior agreements signed with Israel, such as opposition to violence. Even Israel, which announced that it was cutting ties with the Palestinian Authority, as well as a total cessation of peace negotiations (due to Hamas’ inclusion in the government), committed to continued security coordination. Even this, according to many Palestinians, is too close for comfort.

Read: Three Israeli teens feared kidnapped in the West Bank

We will have to wait and find out the identity of the kidnappers and to which organization they belong. But come what may, it is clear that the world will closely examine the new government’s response to the incident, as well as that of Hamas. To what degree do the Palestinian Authority’s security forces cooperate with the IDF? Are Hamas members involved in the kidnapping? If so, did they act with permission from the higher-ups, or against their will? How will Hamas respond to the incident? And if Hamas was not involved, which organizations stand behind it? Does this signal a new opposition to the new PLO, similar to Hamas’ position vis-a-vis the old one?

In less than two weeks, the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), a coordinating body formed to regulate donations from various states to the PA, with Israel as a monitoring party, is set to meet in Brussels. Despite the hardline position against the new government, Israel is expected to be present at the meeting and call on the international community to keep funding the Palestinian Authority. Will it continue doing so even if it turns out that Hamas either had a hand in the kidnapping or didn’t do enough to secure the release of the teenagers? If not, could it endanger the survival of the PA? There are many questions, and few answers.

And lastly: if the teens were indeed kidnapped, one cannot help but wonder whether the perpetrators acted out of seeking to use them as bargaining chips for the release of Palestinian prisoners, who, due to a massive hunger strike, are high on the priority list for Palestinians these days.