Mere Rhetoric: Abbas: Ceasefire Is Still On. Hamas: No It Isn't (Bonus: Palestinian On Palestinian Gunfight At Rafaf, Nobody Cares)

Europe's recent flirtation with Hamas is going swimmingly. Abbas:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday that a violation of a five-month ceasefire by Hamas was an exception and would not be repeated... "The violation of the truce is an exceptional event that will not last," said Abbas at a news conference with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi in Rome.

Hamas:

Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip fired a barrage of rockets and mortars into Israel yesterday, declaring an end to a five-month cease-fire. Hamas's military wing said the early morning volley was in response to Israeli actions it said effectively had ended the truce. Over the weekend, Israeli forces killed at least eight Palestinians, most of them fighters, during military operations in the West Bank and an air strike in Gaza, and Hamas leaders warned of possible retaliation.

Now some would react to this news by saying that it justifies the Bush Administration's efforts to bolster Abbas. We think that's stupid for a myriad of other reasons but at least it would be in the ballpark of logical. Cozying up to Hamas is just unrepentant terrorist appeasement.

Bonus Friday chaos: usually this would qualify as its own "Palestinian Civil Society Watch" post or "Palestinian Non-Civil War Watch" post or "Palestinian Civilians Get Shot and Nobody Cares Because Israel's Not Involved" post - but honestly it's just getting kind of old:

A member of the Palestinian National Security Force was killed and two others were wounded, in a firefight with Palestinian gunmen at the Rafah border crossing in the Gaza Strip on Friday afternoon. The clashes erupted following an argument between one of the gunman and police about his family crossing the terminal into Egypt, Palestinian officials reported. An unarmed Palestinian citizen was also hurt in the firefight. Palestinian sources told Israel Radio that the gunmen, who were part of an armed gang in Rafah, threw stones at the policeman before firing at them.

Then again, it's the Middle East, where everything old is new again. Constantly.

References:
* Palestinian policeman killed in gunfight at Rafah Crossing [JPost]
* Abbas says Hamas truce violation was exception [YNet]
* Hamas fires into Israel, declares end to 5-month truce [Boston Globe]
* Done and Done: Abbas Takes US Money and Cutting Edge Weapons, Tells the US That He's Siding With Hamas Anyway [MR]

Previously:
* White House: Sure Abbas is Powerless, But That Doesn't Mean Israel Shouldn't Give Him Land
* Palestinian Non-Civil War Watch - Hamas Judge Killed
* Iran Funding All Sides Of Palestinian Non-Civil War

Cross-posted to:
* Israpundit