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Can Hamas and the Palestinian Authority Reconcile in Gaza? Be Skeptical.
(Washington Post) Editorial - The Hamas-Palestinian Authority reconciliation deal demands a healthy dose of skepticism: Half a dozen previous unification pacts have broken down since their violent split a decade ago, and the most difficult questions about this one have yet to be tackled. The problem is that Hamas' leadership appears more wedded than ever to its determination to "erase Israel from the map," as its political chief in Gaza recently put it, and it has rejected the disarmament or disbanding of its 20,000-plus-member militia, which wields an arsenal of rockets and has fought three wars with Israel since 2008. The U.S. administration is rightly insisting that Hamas disarm and recognize Israel before it joins a unity government. Were that to happen, there might be a genuine opening for a peace process.