West Bank First Strategy

It seems that the Us and Israel are now chumming up to Fatah. Why? There position has not changed for decades, but now they someho9w represent the Palestinian people? Why?

This is the plan that Bush and Olmert seem to be embracing.

Most analysts said Bush's speech – including his pledge to provide some $190 million to support Palestine Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas and convene a regional conference to support renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks – was too little, too late and included too many conditions to rally strong Palestinian or Arab support.

The speech, which came on the eve of a new trip to the region by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, marked Bush's full embrace of what has been called the "West Bank First" strategy.

It calls for providing full support to Abbas on the occupied West Bank while isolating his main rivals, former Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and his Hamas party, which took over the Gaza Strip last month after a series of gun battles with security forces loyal to Abbas' Fatah.

Personally, I think they are more afraid of Hamas than Fatah. And also Abbas is wearing knee pads to keep his position and a cash flow. Ask yourself, what is Abbas promising to get this long overdue support? Is his motives for the people or his position? The Palestinian people have suffered long enough and it is time for petty political bullshit to be laid aside and the future of the people to be the paramount concern.


CHUQ