There once was a time when your word mattered

There once was a time when your word mattered…people were held accountable…seems as though this has disappeared along with the rotary dial phone!

GS Don Morris, Ph.D.

Fatah leader in secret talks with Hamas behind Abbas’ back

August 6, 2007,

DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources reveal that Mahmoud Abbas’ close adviser, Jibril Rajoub, is holding secret talks with the Gazan Hamas government spokesman Ghazi Hamad.

Broad influential circles in Fatah, led by Jibril and Hanni al-Hassan, criticize as shortsighted and destined to be short-lived Abbas’ policy of separating the West Bank from Gaza and boycotting Hamas.

This falling away of support for Abbas in his own movement throws further in doubt the US-Israeli strategy of putting all their Palestinian apples in his West Bank basket, as manifested in American dollars and Israeli concessions on security.

At his meeting with the Israeli prime minister Monday, Abbas planned to demand further gestures of support, such as the release of more Palestinian prisoners, the removal of roadblocks and progress on fundamental issues. Realistically, their positions were too far apart for an agreed agenda.

Olmert faces opposition within his government. Defense minister Ehud Barak has distanced himself from his pro-Fatah Palestinian track. At meetings with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last week, the defense minister was noncommittal on this issue, commenting that it was in the prime minister’s hands. Privately, Barak believes Olmert is overplaying his association with Abbas - most of all to shore up his own flagging leadership at home. The minister is therefore biding his time until the tactic breaks down.

The dim view of the process held in the defense ministry and IDF command found expression in the briefing military intelligence research chief Brig. Gen. Yossi Baidatz gave the Knesset foreign affairs and security committee Sunday, Aug. 5. The West Bank was the next Fatah-Hamas arena of conflict, he said, and Fatah has no chance of standing up to Hamas there, any more than it did in Gaza. Abbas’ forces are completely dependent on the Israeli army to keep Hamas in check, he said.

For more : www.debka.com.

Wait, still more news and from America …on August 8, US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has warned Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas not to talk to an unreformed Hamas about reentering a unity government ahead of a visit to Israel and the West Bank next week.

"Dealing with Hamas and being in any coalition with Hamas [without Hamas accepting international demands to stop terrorism and recognize Israel] would be something which we would look on with opposition and suspicion," Hoyer (D-Maryland) told The Jerusalem Post in a telephone interview Wednesday. He said such a government would be a "setback" and a "cause for concern."

Hoyer's comments followed a Post report that officials from Abbas's Fatah party have been conducting secret negotiations with Hamas about a possible reconciliation, with the help of mediators from Arab countries.

Let’s put this together. Abbas received President Bush’s support; Rice visits us and brings a delightful package of monies and weapons. Olmert along with our new President Peres (ceremonial job only) support the Saudi plan, tell us we must buoy Abbas in the disputed territories and America’s legislature mandates that Abbas stay away from Hamas. Abbas agrees publicly to “never talk with Hamas” at the same time his own officials have opened a ”secret dialogue” with Hamas. All of this took place in less than a week. Do you see any disconnections, contradictions and outright foolishness?

Assume you know nothing about this region but were only told about this behavior. Tell me, if your own children stood in front of you and lied about staying away from the neighbor’s children while all the while playing with them, what would you believe? What would you do? Can you honestly tell me that you now trust your child to speak the truth? What if anything would you do to discipline your child? Your responses will speak volumes!