By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
The response to the breakdown of peace talks between the PA and the Israelis has been telling. But when it comes to the Middle East, you do not take anything at face value.
The sanctions that Israel has imposed will soon be lifted.
Palestinian tax money that has been collected at Israeli ports and withheld by Israel will soon make its way to Palestinian national accounts. And the goods that normally cross into the PA and Gaza will continue again as they did. It may take a week or a few days longer, but it will happen.
The international community will insist on it and Israel knows that they must deliver it. It was a gesture. And Israel will not withhold electricity or power even if they do not receive payment because of a Palestinian cash shortage.
The Palestinian Authority has run headlong into the embrace of Hamas and in so doing they have insulted Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and almost every other Arab country except Qatar. All these countries have isolated Hamas because of links to the Muslim Brotherhood. The
Brotherhood has sworn to overthrow each of them and Hamas represents the Brotherhood.
The PA cannot live in that situation. They gain almost nothing from association with Hamas. Besides, they will agree on almost nothing. They will never be able to share power and authority.
Hamas thinks that this agreement will enable them access to PA money. But money from abroad will not flow (except from Qatar and the taxes that Israel will soon return) as long as there is a union between them.
All around, this is a very bad decision and it will be self-corrected very shortly. Then the real problem re-emerges.
The stalemate between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas is malignant and it will remain the status quo.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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