Israel Matzav: Fatah and Hamas' shot-gun wedding

Fatah and Hamas' shot-gun wedding

Khaled Abu Toameh describes the misgivings each of Hamas and Fatah has regarding each other and the deal into which Egypt is forcing them to enter. But the bottom line is that the deal won't last anyway.

By forcing Hamas and Fatah into an unwanted marriage, the Egyptians are repeating the same mistake the Saudis and Yemenis made.

The Saudis forced the two parties to sign the Jeddah agreement, which lasted for less than four months. The Yemenis tried to copy the Saudi example, but were dealt a humiliating blow when Hamas and Fatah negotiators left the country without signing a deal, despite the Yemeni government's announcement that it had succeeded in ending the rift.

Even if Hamas does succumb to Egyptian pressure and adds its signature to the latest agreement, there's no guarantee that the accord would ever be implemented. This is a marriage that neither the groom nor the bride want.

Sounds a lot like the 'peace process' between Israel and the 'Palestinians,' doesn't it? There, the party holding the shotgun is the United States. The difference is that most Israelis would like to sign an agreement with the 'Palestinians' and stop the fighting. The problem is that it takes two to tango and the 'Palestinians' aren't ready to dance yet. And they won't be unless and until we totally defeat them militarily.

Yaacov Kirschen did this cartoon in 1991 and re-ran it as a golden oldie in 2006. It's a fair summary of what a 'peace agreement' between Israel and the 'Palestinians' might look like under the current circumstances:

And it wouldn't last either. It would just make us start the next war at a significant disadvantage.

Israel Matzav: Fatah and Hamas' shot-gun wedding