Betting on a Dead Horse

Caroline B. Glick analyzes the foolishness of those who place their hopes in Fatah for a solution to the Palestinian problem. Fatah is a dead horse and has been one since it was completely eclipsed by Hamas in 2007, and liberals like M.J. Rosenberg, and Obama administration members like Samantha Power, should learn that a dead horse never wins; it just rots:

… Fatah is a dead horse. Even if it were to sign a peace deal with Israel — and really meant to keep it — the deal would be a dead letter because the Palestinian people themselves want neither peace with Israel nor Fatah.

…

In spite of the fact that the entire Israeli-Palestinian peace process was predicated on Fatah’s pledge to disarm and disband Hamas, from 1994 until the 2007 coup, Fatah and Hamas were strategic allies and constant collaborators in their common war against Israel. Indeed, at the time of the coup, as partners in the PA’s unity government, Fatah and Hamas were closer than ever.

When on January 9 Fatah finds itself lacking any legal basis to lead the PA, Hamas will be sitting on top of the world. In addition to enjoying the support of the majority of Palestinians, Hamas is now second only to Hizbullah in Iran’s terror proxy pecking order.

Hamas cemented its alliance with Iran in December 2005 and it has only benefitted from its proxy status. Iran has provided Hamas with hundreds of millions of dollars. And to Iran’s monies must be added US and European financial assistance. Using the massive inflows of US and European contributions, Fatah transfers tens of millions of dollars to Gaza each month to pay the salaries of 70,000 Fatah-aligned PA employees in Gaza. That money frees Hamas from the need to develop Gaza’s economy enabling it to devote itself to building up its war machine against Israel. [Read More...]