Soccer Dad

Stop, i've heard that one before

In today's Washington Post, Dennis Ross writes The Specter of 'Hamastan' in which he argues

The logic of having donors (public and private) working with Fatah where it seeks to rebrand itself makes sense for the West Bank and Gaza. What Hamas has done in Gaza has provided a wake-up call for Fatah and Palestinian independents. They now know they have to compete socially, economically and politically. They need help to do so. It is time we, the other donors and the Saudis and the Gulf states woke up to the reality that if we don't help remake Fatah, we may face a future in which Islamists control the Palestinian issue and neither a two-state nor a three-state solution will be in the cards.

In short, Ross believes that Fatah's had its life flash before its eyes and now is committed to reform. The shock of losing power (and privilege) makes Mahmoud Abbas and his followers realize that pragmatism and working with Israel is the only way they can retain power.

I guess after 12 years and two administrations of peace processing that Dennis Ross has embarked on a career as a standup comedian. Stop, I've heard that one before. You're slaying me.

Fatah, in the person of Yasser Arafat was supposed to usher in an era of peace when he signed the Oslo Accords. Since then Israel's suffered worse terror than it had previously because Oslo gave an unreformed terrorist territory and resources to continue his work.

During that time, never once protesting, Arafat's second in command was Mahmoud Abbas. Now we're supposed to believe that Fatah under Abbas will be different and will serve as a bulwark against Hamas?