Olmert Tries to Lift Abbas
As part of a general effort to strengthen the Fatah Palestinian faction Fatah in its struggles against Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Palestianian President Mahmoud Abbas today in the West Bank . I am not convinced Abbas will ever be able to get control of the territories now that Hamas has gained an ascendance in the Gaza Strip. However, Abbas is really the only choice the Israelis have to deal with at the moment. The name of the game is to bolster him and isolate Hamas. It could all turn out badly and given Middle East history, that is the safest bet. That said, Hamas must be resisted. They may do great social work for the Palestinian people, but unless there is official recognition of Israel ’s right to exist, something they have intentionally not done, Hamas must be considered an international pariah.
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