Peace partner?

It is quite simple really, Hamas is a terrorist organization, that took power in Gaza by killing hundreds of Fatah followers and is responsible for many years of firing rockets into Israel (10,000 in 10 years). The current informal ceasefire is only because Israel mounted Operation Cast Lead in 2008 and gave them a big fright. Fatah is supposedly the "moderate" Palestinian organization, that runs the PA on the West Bank. Fatah receives ca. a billion dollars a year from the US, EU and UN, that makes the Palestinians the richest poor people in the world. In order to receive this largesse and be considered partners for peace with Israel, Fatah had to accept the minimal conditions of the Quartet (US, UN, EU and Russia), namely 1. recognize Israel as a State, 2. stop all violent (terrorist) activity, 3. accept all previous negotiated peace agreements (such as Oslo and the Road Map). Note, these are not Israel's conditions, but are broadly agreed international requirements.

Now Fatah and Hamas have signed a "unity" deal in Egypt. In order to get this deal, the military committee that rules Egypt agreed to open the Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border and to stop the building of a metal barrier to prevent the use of smuggling tunnels under the border. Many believe this is a "marriage of convenience" and has no chance of lasting for the duration. Before signing the deal, Hamas stated that it will never recognize Israel and will never give up the "rightful struggle of the Palestinians for their land" (ie. they will continue terrorism). Now, I ask you, if the two are united, how can Israel continue considering the Palestinians as partners for peace?? How can the Quartet continue considering them partners for peace??

The Quartet, particularly the US and UK, have adopted an ambiguous stance. While reitering their "unshakable" support for the State of Israel, both have indicated that they support the idea of Palestinian unity, as long as the Government that eventually comes out of this agreement accepts the Quartet's conditions. Supposedly there will be an interim agreed government of "professionals", ie. of neither poltical party and elections are supposed to be held in a year. But, the Palestinians have finessed the recognition problem, they say that in any case the PLO (Fatah) will be responsible for all negotiations with Israel, and that leaves Hamas, even if they control the Government, free to oppose any recognition and/or peace agreement with Israel. So Israel is naturally disconcerted at this development, and PM Netanyahu is letting his colleagues in the UK, France and the US know where Israel stands. No Palestinian Government that includes Hamas can be a partner for peace with Israel! That is quite simple really!