Billions in aid, cutting edge weaponry, and Israeli security concessions that haven't been seriously considered since the least realistic days of Oslo - great job guys:

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas took a newly conciliatory tone toward his Hamas rivals in a major policy speech Monday, calling for a "new page" in relations between the bitter enemies. "There is no way for any party here to be an alternative to the other, and there is no room for terms like coup or military takeover, but only for dialogue, dialogue, dialogue," Abbas said, referring to Hamas' violent rout of his Fatah forces and takeover of the Gaza Strip in June. Speaking to a crowd in the West Bank at a rally marking the 43rd anniversary of Fatah, Abbas called for "a new page, writing in its lines a credible agreement based on partnership, on life, on our homeland and our struggle to liberate it."... Abbas spoke very differently as recently as November, when he called for the overthrow of Hamas in Gaza after Hamas forces fired on a huge Fatah rally in Gaza City, killing eight civilians and wounding dozens.

Of course he spoke differently in November. Back then he was still pretending that he'd use Israeli security concessions and billions in global aid to dismantle Hamas's terrorist network. Which is just like reconciling with Hamas's terrorist network, except the opposite.

Saudi Arabia has been pushing hard to reunite Hamas terrorists with the rearmed and refreshed Fatah soldiers (so we're glad that the State Department invited them to Annapolis - that's working out well). And Fatah lawmakers had already dropped the pretense of opposing Hamas weeks ago, declaring that they're diplomatically and militarily united with their "bitter enemies". So this is just Abbas making the unofficial Fatah policy official. Shocking, that.

References:
* Abbas calls for dialogue with Hamas, new elections [JPost]
* Fatah: We're Going To Use Our New US And Russian-Supplied Weapons To Fight With Hamas Against Israel (Plus: Hamas Upgrades, Stockpiles Their Qassams) [MR]
* Hamas And Fatah: Any Compromise On Any Part Of Jerusalem Is Treason (Plus: Blair: Peace Deal Within A Year) (Updated: Eloquent And Prescient Reuters Picture Of The Year) [MR]
* Saudis: Now That Abbas Is Getting Land, We're Going To Reunite Fatah And Hamas (Plus: They Didn't Even Have Their Ear Pieces In At Annapolis) [MR]

Previously:
* State Department Deliberately Circumvents Anti-Terrorism Laws, Funds Hamas
* Palestinians Prepare For Peace Conference With Ten Terrorist Plots
* Hamas: Oh By The Way, We're Totally Going To Ignore Annapolis When We Roll Over The West Bank

Cross-posted to:
* Israpundit