World

Photo by PPO/BPH lmages/JTA

Ho Hum?

Israel, Quartet lukewarm on
Hamas-Fatah agreement.

Dan Baron

accords seemed only to harden Hamas' line
against the Jewish state.
Officials from the Islamic group, which
Jerusalem
the United States and European Union
consider terrorist, lined up to reaffirm
arely in the annals of Middle
their opposition to ever recognizing Israel.
East diplomacy has a major rap-
Mushir Masri, a Hamas lawmaker, said
prochement been greeted with
that the Mecca deal would force the West as
such puzzlement abroad.
well as the "Zionist enemy" to deal with the
While Palestinians danced in the streets
Palestinian Authority as it stands.
of Gaza and the West Bank at the news of
Such sentiments received reluctant
the unity agreement between the govern-
endorsement from some veteran Israel
ing Hamas and rival Fatah movements, in
observers. David Kimche, a retired Israeli
Israel there was heavy skepticism over the
spymaster and diplomat, predicted that
prospects of renewed peace talks while most Israel, outflanked by Arab and Western
mediator nations expressed cautious opti-
states wanting to see an end to the
mism at best.
Palestinian stalemate, may have no choice
Signed Feb. 8 in the Saudi holy city of
but to deal with llamas.
Mecca, which is off-limits to non-Muslims,
"The ideal would be if we could find a
the Hamas-Fatah deal was opaque from the magic wand that would make llamas disap-
outset. When it was finally made public, it
pear, for llamas stands for everything bad
appeared to be little more than a document
— fundamentalism, terrorism, to mention
redistributing Palestinian Authority minis-
just a few' Kimche wrote in the Jerusalem
tries among the new Cabinet members and
Post.,
a call by President Mahmoud Abbas, the
"Alas, such magic wands are hard to find.
Fatah leader, urging Hamas to "respect" past So we are left with two alternatives: refuse
diplomatic deals with Israel.
to deal with the unity government despite
That fell short of the demand by the
its willingness to open negotiations with us
Quartet of foreign mediators that the
for peace and despite its acceptance by the
Palestinian Authority under llamas
Quartet, or to act pragmatically and do what
embrace peacemaking, renounce terror-
is best for Israel, which is to end the stale-
ism and recognize Israel if it is to receive
mate that in effect only leads to a continued
Western donor aid that was suspended after deterioration of the situation and, in its
the Islamist group rose to power last year.
place, enter into negotiations with the unity
But then, with Hamas looking robust
government."
despite the embargo, fending off factional
Cracks already are appearing in the
attacks by Fatah and increasingly aligning
Quartet. Russia, which broke with its part-
itself with Iran, Western powers may be out
ners last year by hosting a llamas delegation
of options. So it was that the Quartet — the
in Moscow, was the only Quartet power to
United States, European Union, United
embrace the Mecca deal as a breakthrough.
Nations and Russia — issued a statement
"The future Palestinian national govern-
‘`welcoming" the Saudi mediation in the
ment will be an important factor in the
Palestinian Authority deal but deferring a
process of reviving Israeli-Palestinian talks;'
decision on how to respond until after U.S.
the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets
statement. "The implementation of Mecca
with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud agreements should be combined with lift-
Olmert to discuss the way forward.
ing a blockade of the Palestinian territories,
Israeli officials, after first writing off the
which has inflicted suffering and hardship
Mecca deal as a non-starter, quickly became on the people."
more circumspect. "Israel neither rejects
For many Palestinians, though, the idea
nor accepts the agreements;' Olmert said
of new diplomacy with Israel was hateful.
Sunday at his weekly Cabinet meeting. "At
Instead they focused on the fact that the
this stage we, like the international commu-
Mecca deal brought respite from spiraling
nity, are learning what exactly was achieved
Fatah-Hamas violence in Gaza, which has
and what was said."
claimed dozens of Palestinian lives in recent
Abbas had long promoted the idea of a
weeks.
coalition government as a means of soften-
"The Mecca deal is basically a truce
ing the Palestinian Authority's profile inter-
between Fatah and Hamas," a senior Fatah
nationally, or making Hamas "moderate
official told Reuters. "It could last one year,
by association" with Fatah. But the Mecca
two years or less." I I

Jewish Telegraphic Agency

R

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, center, walks with Palestinian Authority President

Mahmoud Abbas, right, and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, during talks in Mecca.

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February 15 • 2007

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