The administration has apparently decided to rescind the sanctions on the Palestinian government that were placed when Hamas was a coalition partner. This move is being done apparently to isolate the Hamas and strengthen Abu Mazen the Palestinian president in his own peoples eyes and in the eyes of the world.

This policy is likely to backfire as direct support for Abu Mazen by the US will be seen as political bribery from the great enemy of Islam. The Hamas was freely elected in elections throughout the Palestinian authority nad clearly has grass roots support. The fact that there will be money in Fatah’s hand and not Hamas is likely to fuel even more resentment for Fatah which will lead to more violence. It has not been shown that financial incentive has swayed public opinion in the Middle East or anywhere else.

Analysts think that the complete takeover of the Hamas of the entire Palestinian authority is a question of time not a question of money. The Weapons and resources that the United States supplies the Fatah are sure to fall into Hamas hands sooner or later. The Fatah itself has used United States and even Israeli supplied weapons to fire on Israeli civilians. The US is trying to differentiate between Fatah and Hamas saying the Fatah is a negotiating  partner as opposed to the Hamas. Its important to remember that Fatah has not shown any flexibility in negotiations with Israel on the core issues. They include the refugee issue and Jerusalem. Even if negotiations were to start at some point outside of the actual discussions there would be nothing to talk about. This was all attempted before between then Prime Minister Barak and Yassar Arafat, Israel was ready to cede all of Judea and Samaria. Mr. Arafat demanded East Jerusalem in its entirety and the complete return of refugees from 1949. He said they were minimalist demands from his perspective and any less was unthinkable inconceivable.

The sad reality was that Israel’s maximilist proposals are very far from the stated minimalist positions of the Fatah. We have an impossible impasse that has no apparent solution.

Israel has been put in a very difficult position now with the recent developments in the Gaza strip. There will be a demand to negotiate with the less extreme Fatah elements who do not have any cardinal difference with their Hamas brothers in Gaza. Israel will also be blamed for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and will be very hesitant to attack Gaza because of  all the civilian casualties that will ensue from such an attack.

Israel strategically cannot afford to have yet a third state/country along and besides its biggest population centers. This state will be able to launch attacks with relative ease and cause great civilian damage.

If the US truly wants a lasting peace then they will discard the 2 state solutions in the mean time. It will concentrate on improving the economy of everybody living in the region.

It looks like things are going to get worse before they get better.