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Source: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fb1a86b0-881f-11dc-9464-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1
A Mis-step on the Path to Middle East Peace
[Financial Times-UK] Jon Alterman - Fatah's forced flight from Gaza not only highlights the difficulty the Palestinian Authority has establishing control over many Palestinians, but that hardliners are consolidating their control over Hamas. Israelis are stung that their withdrawal from Gaza has not meant an end to rocket fire from there. Israelis also believe that they have fought, negotiated and unilaterally withdrawn for peace, all to no avail. Rice's conference does nothing to move the debate forward. Instead, it seeks to bring together people already on record as favoring a negotiated solution to rehash their stated positions. Rather than move the parties toward peace, it will demonstrate how difficult it is even for those leaning toward peace to make such a peace. In so doing, it will strengthen the rejectionists. The writer is director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.