[Washington Post] Howard Schneider - In the two years since it seized power in Gaza, the militant Hamas movement has undercut the influence of the Strip's major clans, brought competing paramilitary groups under its control, put down an uprising by a rival Islamist group, weathered a three-week war with Israel, worked around a strict economic embargo - and through it all refused a set of international demands that could begin Gaza's rehabilitation. That unwillingness to compromise has created a deep-seated stalemate that poses a steep obstacle for U.S. peace envoy George Mitchell. Mitchell's eight months of talks about Israeli-Palestinian peace have been conducted, in effect, with only half of the Palestinian political leadership. Palestinian, Israeli and international diplomats and analysts see little sign that Hamas is ready to trade its clear control of Gaza for a seat at the negotiating table.
2009-10-07 08:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive