From Intifada to Hudna

Rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah are trying to come up with a "€œtechnical government"€, in order to convince the EU and US to resume the flow of Western aid money. They are reportedly close to a deal.

"€œMohammad Shbair is a candidate by Hamas, and Fatah has no objection."

Israeli press has reported that Shbair was acceptable to Washington, but neither Fatah nor Hamas spokesmen were willing to go on record to confirm Shbair as the compromise choice to be the new Prime Minister.

Reuters described him this way: "€œShbair is a U.S.-educated scientist and an Islamist who is described as close to Hamas but not formally among its members." According to Wiki, Islamists believe the "€œsharia has absolute priority over democracy and universal human rights.:  But, that definition does not take into account the recorded statements of many Islamist leaders who advocate Islamic supremacy and the establishment of a Sharia Caliphate.

Reuters has had their share of controversy in their middle-east reporting recently, including charges of anti-Israeli bias. Even Reuters is willing to describe this man as an Islamist, and close to Hamas. Does being close to Hamas mean being close to statements made just yesterday that "€œHamas will never recognize Israel"? The Shbair compromise appears to be nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to do just enough to get Western aid money, without having to institute any substantive change. This is not a peace process:  This is hudna.