Palestinian PM Resigns

It's all about unity.

As if.

Palestinian PM Ismail Haniya has resigned as part of a deal that will set up a national unity government.

The move came after Mr Haniya and President Mahmoud Abbas ironed out last-minute problems in the power-sharing deal sealed last week.

Factional fighting between Mr Abbas's Fatah and Mr Haniya's Hamas has claimed more than 90 Palestinian lives between December and this month.

There are still doubts whether the US will end its government boycott.

Aides to Mr Abbas said the US would continue its boycott unless the national unity government met international demands over Israel.

A US state department spokesman said Washington would not make a judgement until the government was formed.

Meanwhile, they've been told by the U.S. they'll be shunned since they won't recognize Israel.

Though I'm sure they'll pay some lip service and we'll throw more money into the Palestinian rathole.

Why So Cautious?

This comes as a shock, considering the peaceful nature of the parties involved.

U.S. cautious on Palestinian accord

The United States and other world powers avoided endorsing a planned political bargain between warring Palestinian factions Friday, saying it was too soon to say if the new government will meet international conditions for legitimacy and financial aid.

The Bush administration said little in public beyond careful praise for Saudi Arabia's role in bringing the two factions together. Behind the scenes, officials did not sound optimistic that the deal can end Palestinian violence or a year-old international boycott.

"Peace is not at hand," said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because Washington is still reviewing the deal's details.

I say let them have at it. Might save us some time and money.

At stake is roughly $1 billion a year in frozen aid from foreign donors in addition to approximately $500 million in withheld tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinians. The embargo has crippled the Palestinian government's ability to function, though the West and Israel have funneled millions of dollars through Abbas' office to prevent a complete collapse of the government.

If the U.S. and Israel are not convinced Hamas has sufficiently moderated, the West is unlikely to lift the sanctions, and it will be difficult to advance the peace process.

As good a reason as any to stay away from this mess:

France urges world to back Palestinian accord.

Run fast.

New Firefights Shatter Gaza Ceasefire

Is there anthing more laughable than an alleged ceasefire between the warring factions in Gaza?

Fighting between warring Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip has raged overnight, wounding eight people and shattering an embryonic ceasefire.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and exiled Hamas political supremo Khaled Meshaal declared the now dormant ceasefire between the feuding rivals on Friday after internecine fighting killed 25 people in just 24 hours.

The duelling factions agreed to meet again in Gaza on Saturday in a bid to revive the truce -- the second ceasefire to collapse in a week.

Fighting in Gaza City between the ruling Islamist Hamas and Abbas's Fatah faction included fierce skirmishes near the headquarters of the Fatah-dominated security services where five people were wounded, medical sources said.

Why not try some dialogue?

Gaza Ceasefire Over

We saw this coming. So very predictable.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Gunfights erupted across the
Gaza Strip Thursday, killing at least six people after Hamas militants hijacked a convoy delivering supplies to the rival Fatah-allied security forces, effectively destroying a short-lived truce.

An Egyptian mediator blamed Hamas and called for calm three days after he persuaded the warring factions to end weeks of clashes that killed dozens. However, the truce did not resolve underlying disputes that set off the conflict between the Islamic Hamas, which is running the Palestinian government, and President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement.

Meanwhile, are the Iranians working with Hamas? I suspect they are. Wide-reaching tentacles.

Abbas Blames Israel for Gaza Poverty

Well, you can't ever expect him to take any reponsibility, can you?

Poverty levels in Gaza have soared to record levels because of Israeli restrictions and the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday.

"Unemployment and poverty have reached unprecedented levels, with 79 percent of people in the Gaza Strip living below the poverty line, of which 51 percent live in utter poverty," Abbas said in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Western donors suspended financial support to the Palestinian Authority last year after the militant Islamist group Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israel and renounce violence, swept to victory in parliamentary elections.

A seemingly endless supply of money goes into that rathole, the people there do nothing but foster violence and animus against Israel, they cannot govern themselves, never take resposibility for anything, and it's always the fault of Israel.

They're like bottomfeeding junkies and alcoholics. It's always someone else's fault. Their enablers do nothing but exacerbate the problem while the downward spiral continues.