Ending illusion of peace-seeking Abbas
Op-ed: Fatah-Hamas unity agreement is a stinging insult to Arab regimes and anyone who ever saw the Palestinian leader as a 'peace partner.'
For what purpose have the EU and US for years been administering artificial respiration to the entity named the Palestinian Authority, in the form of billions of dollars? For what purpose has this Authority received close to 7 billion euros in cash from the EU since 1994? It was for the purpose of curbing Hamas.
And for what purpose did European countries support the "observer status of the Palestinian state" at the UN, if not for the purpose of weakening Hamas?
This is simply scandalous, but there is an explanation. Until now, European money has been flowing to the PA unconditionally and unsupervised, but new legislation by the European Parliament plenum on April 3, 2014 has set some conditions. This effectively puts an end to the PA, as its aid to terrorists will be exposed. This is the reason for Abbas running into Hamas' arms - the knowledge that the money will dry up regardless.
And now? If the PA sets up a joint government with Hamas, it will be impossible to transfer even one cent to it, because Hamas is officially a terrorist organization, both in Washington and Europe.
Clearly, Israel will also have to stop all fund transfers to an official terrorist entity, as there is no other legal option, including offsetting debts to the Israel Electric Corporation (more than NIS 1.4 billion, or $400 million) – and to many Israeli creditors. The Europeans may want to consider claiming back the money spent by the PA, and using it to help their unemployed.
Unity with Hamas is a slap in the face for many of the Arab regimes too, as it is basically a shift to cooperating with their enemy, the Muslim Brotherhood. It is an insult to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other states that see radical Islam as an existential threat.
Both Fatah and Hamas have turned into detested entities among the Palestinian and Arab publics alike. There is no support, no interest, no hope; the Arab regimes are not willing to fund the PA if the European-American-Israeli money stops, and so with no other choice they have fallen into one other's arms.
The move also is an attempt to halt their shared enemy of Salafist and Jihadist forces. The latter already number tens of thousands of members, and they are the future. Both Hamas and Fatah know that.
Both Hamas and Fatah are afraid of a new intifada, because while it may begin against Israel, it could burn them both too.
It's a good thing that this unity is taking place now, whether it is implemented or not, as the intention is clear. Just imagine what would have happened if Israel had transferred territories in the center of the country to the Palestinians, and then the unity with Hamas and Jihad had taken place, with the latter two even controlling these territories.
What kind of existential threat would Israel face in that case, with missiles directed at Tel Aviv, the Sharon region, Haifa and Jerusalem?
So it's also good to tell the truth, after months of selling illusions to the public about a "peace process" and partners that we never had, illusions that the broad public didn't really fall for. So goodbye illusion, hello reality.
