Who will come up with a coalition government first: the Palestinians or Israelis? After nearly two years of civil war and targeted assassinations against each other, Fatah and Hamas suddenly announced they are seeking a unity government and have even released prisoners on each side to that tune.
What does this pose for the Obama administration and other governments which have cast Hamas as a terrorist organization? Could they negotiate with a government that included Hamas when so many states have already declared their refusal to do so?
Yes they can. Many foreign governments are promoting a “coalition government” between the PLO and Hamas, they leave out the fact that Hamas still hasn’t and probably won’t recognize Israel’s right to exist. Oh, and Hamas does not even recognize the authority of the PLO.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was in Oslo the day before negotiations were set to begin in Cairo:
“We want to see the formation of a Palestinian national unity government or a government of national consensus — it doesn’t matter, as long as we agree upon a government,” Abbas said. “This government must fully honor the commitments that we agreed to in the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization),” he said, adding: “When governments come, they respect and honor and accept obligations of previous governments.”
