FATAH AND HAMAS INK UNITY DEAL

SOME EXPRESS SURPRISE TODAY:

Abbas and Hamas Sign Surprise Unity Deal to Share Power, U.S. Will Now Be Funding Islamist Terrorists…

BUT HERE AT TAB WE WEREN'T SURPRISED; WE ARGUED THAT HAMAS AND FATAH WERE UNITED JUST LAST SUNDAY!

SO OUR READERS WEREN'T SURPRISED BY TODAY'S "SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT" EITHER.

SPREAD THE WORD.

UPDATE: A DECENT STATEMENT BY THE WHITE HOSUE, AND BIBI: After Fatah-Hamas reconciliation, US plays it cool

If merged Palestinian government wishes to be a true player on international stage, US official says, they must act on the side of peace.

The United States responded on Wednesday to an announced reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, releasing a short and tepid statement that withheld judgment and bordered on skepticism.

"The United States supports Palestinian reconciliation on terms which promote the cause of peace. Hamas, however, is a terrorist organization which targets civilians," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement.

"To play a constructive role in achieving peace, any Palestinian government must accept the Quartet principles and renounce violence, abide by past agreements, and recognize Israel's right to exist," he said.

Also on Wednesday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reacted to the news, saying Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had two choices: peace with Israel or peace with Hamas. "Hamas aspires to destroy Israel and fires rockets at our cities," he said in a televised statement. "There is no possibility for peace with both."

MORE: Elliot Abrams:

This deal, if it is real, will be interpreted in Israel as a choice by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to make peace with Hamas rather than with Israel.

It is hard to see how Israel could negotiate with a Palestinian government half or more of which represents a terrorist group dedicated to attacking the Jewish State.

TURNING THE SO-CALLED WEST BANK INTO ANOTHER GAZA IS NOT IN THE INTERESTS OF ISRAEL OR THE WEST.

IMHO:

WE SHOULD VIRTUALLY DEPORT THE GAZANS TO EGYPT AND GIVE THE SO-CALLED PALI'S OF THE SO-CALLED WEST BANK JORDANIAN PASSPORTS AND CONDITIONAL RESIDENCY IN ISRAEL (WITH CONDITIONAL/LIMITED AUTONOMY) - AFTER ANNEXING THE WEST BANK.