We've been trying to come up with a sarcastic opening for the last couple of minutes, but - honestly - screw it:

The Palestinian Authority threatened on Tuesday to suspend negotiations with Israel in response to an IDF operation in the Gaza Strip that left 19 Palestinians - most of them Hamas gunmen - dead. The PA also called for deploying international forces in the Gaza Strip "to defend Palestinian civilians against recurring Israeli acts of aggression." The call was issued by the PA government in Ramallah and the ruling Fatah faction. PA officials strongly condemned the IDF raid, dubbing it a "massacre." The officials expressed outrage at its timing, coming five days after US President George W. Bush's visit to Ramallah and his meeting with PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

MR has some questions:

(1) So the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip get to drop dozens of rockets and bombs on Israeli schools and hospitals while Bush is actually in Ramallah, but responding to that five days later is a cause for outrage - yes?

(2) When mainstream media outlets run with the Palestinian "Israel brought Fatah and Hamas together" narrative, do you think they'll mention how Fatah and Hamas have been united diplomatically and militarily for months?

(3) Has there ever been a major Israeli military campaign - justified or not, limited or not - that wasn't a "massacre"? Cf. "stupid headline tricks" from a previous "massacre"?

(4) When the Palestinians call for an international force, do they know in advance that it'll become a bunch of human shields allowing Palestinians to attack Israel but restricting Israeli retaliation? Or does it just work out that way?

(5) How absurd is it that Israel is getting blamed for a surgical operation against rocket teams ostensibly unassociated from Hamas because the raid escalated after Hamas soldiers pinned down Israeli forces?

References:
* PA: Gaza 'massacre' threatens talks [JPost]
* 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]
* 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]
* Beit Hanoun Meme Watch - (3) Stupid Headline Tricks - Hey Listen, Calling It A "Massacre" Is Still Bias, Even If You Think You're Being Clever By Quoting Someone [MR]
* State Department: How About An Unbiased, Totally Objective International Force In The West Bank? [MR]

Previously:
* Fatah Discovers That Iran's Hamas Proxies Are Trying To Overthrow Abbas
* Mere Rhetoric: Palestinian Non-Civil War Watch - Hamas Kidnaps Senior Fatah Leader, Shaves His Mustache
* Fatah Security Forces: "Murderers Of Two Israelis Aren't Terrorists". Murderers Of Two Israelis: "We're Fatah Terrorists" (Plus: Fatah Hid Them From Israeli Security)

Cross-posted to:
* Israpundit