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. Dangerous roads. Slippery sidewalks. Snow to shovel. Soon you be wishing you lived with us. 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