A guy ought to be able to look to his own cabinet for support in the face of enemy threats. It’s a reasonable supposition, one would think, but apparently it isn’t the case for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. The coalition sharks are smelling blood, and it seems to be coming from the prime minister.

Apparently, it isn’t enough that Fatah, supposedly Israel’s “peace partner”, has welcomed Hamas back into the Palestinian Authority with open arms. It also isn’t enough that the United States and major European countries have blessed the new Palestinian union. But instead of a united defense for Israel in the face of the Fatah-Hamas front, the second-largest party in Netanyahu’s coalition – Yesh Atid – has aligned with Hatnua chairwoman and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni to form a fifth column and threatened to ‘bring down the government’ if the boss doesn’t follow orders.

Orders from whom? How about from Finance Minister and Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid, for starters. He is the one who this time ordered Netanyahu to produce a map with borders for a new Palestinian Authority country, once and for all. Sound familiar? It should. You can find the same words in quotes from PA chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, or from PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

Chomp, chomp.

Then there’s Bayit Yehudi chairman and Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, who has taken to the public soapbox to fight with Lapid and everyone else over what he thinks should be done about the Jews in Judea and Samaria. He probably means well, but instead of keeping the discussion in the Cabinet, he is taking the argument to public radio interviews. The ‘only sane plan’ is to annex Area C, he says. It’s not a new plan – he has said it for years – but why isn’t this discussion being kept behind closed doors? If he is Netanyahu’s ally, he should say so. If not, what is he doing in the coalition?

Chomp. Chomp.

And now, the Big Kahuna. Avigdor Liberman – the guy who cut the Likud votes in half because so many Likudniks couldn’t bear the thought of voting for a ‘Likud-Beytenu’ ticket – owes his political survival to the prime minister. It should be recalled that Liberman was on trial for corruption at the time of last year’s election, but Netanyahu kept his job as foreign minister open for him until Liberman was acquitted. The deal cost the Likud several seats in the Knesset, but Netanyahu was true to his word.

Now, Liberman has turned around to stab his ally in the back by making public comments about his boss’s dilemma, rather than simply helping solve the problem behind closed doors.

“What happened yesterday, when four senior ministers gave public addresses one after the other with each proposing a different political solution, was a grotesque performance,” Liberman said today (Monday) at a conference of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Eilat. “We need to cut down and adopt a single political plan to bind all parts of the coalition… as soon as possible, because if we don’t do it on our own, we will be dragged towards what we don’t want, and what is not in our best interest,” he said.

Right. But why is he saying that in public? A bit of the old pot calling the kettle black, no?

Liberman also directly addressed remarks made by Bennett and Lapid: “The economy minister spoke of annexing settlement blocs, and the finance minister threatened to disband the coalition if such a plan is approved. They both know they are talking about something that will never happen.” He commented that he supported Bennett’s plan, but said it was “not feasible.” Liberman then added drily, “he thinks it is worth saying to maybe get two more seats (in the Knesset).”

Less than two weeks after the Palestinian Unity Government made international headlines, Fatah and Hamas forces have taken to facing off around Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip.

In Gaza, Hamas police reportedly beat back government workers who had approached ATM machines in order to withdraw monthly salaries that were paid by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority. Local government workers, employed by Hamas, hadn’t been paid.

Despite the highest per-capital foreign aid account in the world, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh made arrangements with the Emir of Qatar to pay the latest wage patent for Gaza civil servants, who have not been paid since March.

Nether Qatar nor Hamas would say how much Qatari money would be needed to prop up the Palestinian Authority this time. More than 110,000 people, or approximately 5 percent of the accepted population number for Gaza, are on the government payroll.

In Judea and Samaria, Palestinian Authority arrests of Hamas operatives have reportedly continued unabated since the Palestinian Unity Government agreement was signed.

The entire concept of “two state solution” must be eradicated from the policy lexicon of the Israeli Government. Prime Minister Netanyahu is pushing us in the wrong direction.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Israel “must separate from the Palestinians,” Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing an unnamed official source.

No further details were provided by the source, but the news agency noted that the language “was reminiscent of the term ‘disengagement’ that Israel used to refer to its 2005 withdrawal of settlers and soldiers from the Gaza Strip, carried out unilaterally under then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the absence of peacemaking.”

Netanyahu’s still trying to solve Israel’s security problems by recognizing and negotiating with the terrorists. This crazy distinction between Hamas and Fatah is totally fictional. They are really the same and playing the world for suckers, which unfortunately is too easy when it comes to anything antisemitic. Pretending that Fatah is fundamentally different from Hamas is like trying to cure skin cancer with make-up. And pretending that there can be a “peaceful” Palestinian state sic in the midst of the Land of Israel is the greatest lie of all.

This Israeli attempt to “achieve peace” by “negotiating with the Palestinians” sick reminds me of those who died of lung cancer, because they kept trying to alleviate back pain without having a proper checkup to determine the cause of the back-pain.

The Arab terrorism isn’t due to the fact that Jews are living in Judea, Samaria, Jordan Valley, Jerusalem, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Jaffa etc. It’s because the Arab leadership, including Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah want to destroy the State of Israel. Listen carefully to this clip on the PMW site

Abbas admits PA sent terrorists to kill Israelis

PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas:”I demand [the release of] prisoners because they are human beings, who did what we, we, ordered them to do. We – the [Palestinian] Authority. They should not be punished while we sit at one table negotiating. Besides, they spent many years in prison. How much longer? Do they have to spend all their life in prison and even die there?”Interviewer: “How can we deal with their criteria “bloodstained hands?” Abbas: “Such talk is illogical talk and I do not accept it. What does a bloodstained hand mean? We were fighting each other. They kill and kill. They hunt down people with planes and tanks and killed. The soldier who kills 50 or 20 persons here and there – are his hands stained with talc powder? They are stained with blood. This is war. One (i.e., Israel) ordered a soldier to kill, and I ordered my son, brother, or others, to carry out the duty of resistance (i.e., euphemism for terror). This person killed and the other person killed. So why say this person’s hands are stained with blood, and [he] must be kept in prison? He is a fighter just like any other fighter. We were in a state of fighting. When a truce is reached, in any country in the world, the past is forgotten… What meaning is there to peace with the Israelis if the wanted continues to be wanted, the prisoner continues to be imprisoned, and the deportee continues to be deported? What am I worth in the eyes of the ordinary [Palestinian] citizen? The ordinary citizen will ask me: ‘What did you get me? You ordered me – you are responsible for me.’”

Official Palestinian Authority TV Feb. 14, 2005 (2 min)

There has never been any official change in this policy.  A Palestinian State will only increase terrorism and insecurity for the State of Israel.

Visit Shiloh Musings.  / Batya Medad

A NYTimes Editorial on Friday showed an amazing lack of understanding of Hamas’s intentions and motivations.

“Mr. Netanyahu has scoffed at that distinction — and some skepticism is warranted. While Hamas cannot simply be wished away, the United States and other countries that consider Hamas a terrorist group may find it impossible to continue aiding the Palestinians if Hamas plays a more pronounced role.”
…
“…the United States has to be careful to somehow distinguish between its support for the new government and an endorsement of Hamas and its violent, hateful behavior. To have some hope of doing that, the United States and Europe must continue to insist that Mr. Abbas stick to his promises and not allow Hamas to get the upper hand.”

It would appear that the NY Times doesn’t actually understand or recognize the Hezbollah model that Hamas is carefully following, or the role Iran is playing here.

Hamas tried its hand at ruling Gaza. It learned that it’s hard to remain a popular resistance organization when you’re also required to pick up the trash, and make sure the toilets don’t flush into the streets, not to mention being held personally responsible for every terror attack (or IDF retaliation), even when its not in your benefit to be blamed.

Hezbollah had a similar problem, they wanted to be in charge of Lebanon, but without the responsibilities and popularity issues that being in charge carry with it.

So they (or more likely their patron, Iran) came up with a neat solution.

Build yourself the largest, independent army in the country, maintain only a little official representation in the government, and let it officially appear as if other people are in charge. I call it the “talk softly-carry a big gun” model. Ehud Ya’ari calls it “adding ballots to your bullets”.

You get all the power, freedom and money, but none of the responsibilities or blame for the day to day stuff.

Hamas (following advice from Iran) is doing almost exactly the same.

They’re keeping their massive independent army, with all their terrorists, guns and missiles, but they’re handing off the municipal responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority. Let collecting garbage and paying salaries be Abbas’s headache.

Hamas can now go back to doing what they do best – terror and social programming.

We’re going to now start seeing Hamas building up its grassroots support via a proliferation of Hamas funded social and religious programs that will pop up all over Judea and Samaria.

Hamas, with its large, independent army and swelling grassroots support, will run the Palestinian Unity Government (PUG) from behind the scenes, but all the responsibility and blame will fall on Fatah (Abbas) – making Hamas even more popular and powerful.

The NY Times simplistically calls on Abbas to not let Hamas get the upper hand.

Hamas doesn’t want the upper hand, not openly, not yet. That would cut off the US funding for the day to day stuff. It’s that US funding which will free up Hamas resources for the more important thing, the unhindered expansion of Iranian-supported terror bases into Judea and Samaria.

If the NY Times really wanted to prevent a “collision course” between Israel and the Palestinian Unity Government they would have recommended the only course of action that would avert it in the long term – disarming Hamas.

Once again, the NY Times proves it just doesn’t get it.

Israeli Ministers are demanding that Palestinian Unity Government President, Mahmoud Abbas, disarm the independent Hamas army in Gaza and exert his authority over Gaza.

Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon said at a meeting with foreign military attaches, that following the Palestinian Authority reconciliation agreement, Abbas must apply his rule in Gaza and disarm Hamas. Ya’alon added that if Abbas doesn’t do that then he is deceiving the world.

In a more strongly worded statement, Minister of Intelligence Dr. Yuval Steinitz said on Thursday,

“Pursuant to US Secretary of State John Kerry’s statement to the effect that the new Palestinian government is ‘committed to previous agreements’, we must ask: Is it his intention to now demand that Abu Mazen and his government publicly reiterate their commitment to ‘the principle of complete demilitarization’ which constitutes a cornerstone of the Oslo accords, and to begin dismantling and destroying the thousands of missiles stationed in the Gaza Strip?

If not, the Palestinian remarks about ‘honoring previous agreements’ border on deception and fraud.”

Hamas has many thousands of rockets and missiles in Gaza, as well as its own independent army, which they used last time to kick out Fatah (Palestinian Authority/PLO) from Gaza, only the IDF prevented Hamas from also taking over the Palestinian Authority in Judea and Samaria. This latest unity agreement between Hamas and Fatah left Hamas in charge of its own military, which is the exact same model that Hezbollah implemented in Lebanon.

Among other things, an independent Hamas army, not under Palestinian Authority control, is a severe and utter breach of the Oslo Accords and the Roadmap. It also makes it clear that Hamas is in charge, or at least an equal partner with Fatah.

Way back in 2005, then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that Abbas must disarm Hamas, and the PA has an obligation according to the Roadmap to do so, but she added, Abbas must be given time to make it happen.

Nine years later, we’re sure that Abbas should have had more than enough time to disarm Hamas, but this time around, the US hasn’t isn’t even mentioning disarming Hamas as a requirement.

Times change.

Israel’s security cabinet voted unanimously at an emergency meeting in Jerusalem Monday night to hold the Palestinian Authority responsible for any harm to the security of Israel originating from Judea, Samaria or Gaza.

The cabinet issued five specific decisions in a communique issued at about the same time a PA Arab terrorist opened fire at a group of IDF soldiers near Tapuach Junction in Samaria (Shomron). The attack followed an attempted suicide bombing at the same site — miraculously foiled — just three days ago.

The cabinet unanimously decided:

1. To continue acting in accordance with its April 24, 2014 decision not to negotiate with a PA government backed by Hamas, a terrorist organization which calls for the destruction of Israel; and to respond to unilateral Palestinian action with a series of measures;

2. To act, including in the international arena, against the participation of terrorist organizations in elections;

3. To authorize the Prime Minister to impose additional sanctions on the Palestinian Authority;

4. To hold the Palestinian Authority responsible for all actions that harm the security of Israel which originate in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip; and

5. To form a team to consider ways of action given the new reality that has been created and ahead of diplomatic and security situations that will be created in the future.

“Today, Abu Mazen (PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas) said ‘yes’ to terrorism and ‘no’ to peace,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in a statement following the meeting.

“This is the direct continuation of Abu Mazen’s policy of refusing peace. While Israel has carried out courageous and painful steps on behalf of the diplomatic process and continues to be committed to peace, Abu Mazen has refused to extend the negotiations, has rejected the American framework document, continues to incite against Israel, has unilaterally acceded to United Nations treaties and has now forged a pact with the Hamas terrorist organization.

“Abu Mazen has forged a pact with the Hamas organization, which is responsible for the murder of over 1,000 innocent Israelis and the firing of thousands of missiles at Israeli cities.

“Abu Mazen has forged a pact with Hamas, an organization which has been declared a terrorist organization in the U.S., Europe, Egypt and throughout the world, and which completely rejects the international community’s conditions. The international community needs to treat it accordingly.

“In recent days, the leaders of the Hamas terrorist organization have reiterated their commitment to the path of terrorism and to the elimination of the State of Israel.

“The agreement with Hamas makes Abu Mazen directly responsible for the terrorism emanating from Gaza.

“The State of Israel will not conduct diplomatic negotiations with a Palestinian government with backing from Hamas, a terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department confirmed to reporters on Monday that it had decided it would indeed work together with the new PA unity government after all.

“Based on what we know now, we intend to work with this government,” said State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki at a briefing with reporters.

“We will continue to evaluate the composition and policies of the new government and if needed, we will recalibrate our approach.”

She added that the U.S. would continued to provide financial aid to the PA and would judge the new government “by its actions.”

Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) hailed today’s national unity government with Hamas as “the end” of a long period of tension between Hamas and Abbas’ Fatah organization.  Palestinian division.

“Today, with the formation of a national consensus government, we announce the end of a Palestinian division that has greatly damaged our national case, Abu Mazen said. “This black page in the history (of the Palestinians) has been turned forever, and we will not allow it to come back.”

However, Abbas was silent on comments made last week by his senior government partner, Hamas’ Gaza Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, that the unity government would serve to further the Palestinian struggle “against the main enemy, the Zionist enemy, and to continue with the option of resistance.”

According to footage posted on the Palestinian Media Watch website, Haniya also told the Arabic-language al-Hayat al-Jadida paper last Wednesday that “Those who liberated Gaza, with the help of Allah, can liberate Jerusalem, the West Bank and the rest of Palestine (i.e., Israel).”

Haniyeh also reiterated to al-Aqsa TV Hamas’ Hamas goal of destroying Israel through violence, and said that the same, determined Palestinian “resistance” that led to Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip would eventually cause Israel to flee “Jerusalem, the West Bank and the rest of Palestine.”

“Since he already said ‘Jerusalem and the West Bank,’ the term ‘rest of Palestine,’ can only mean the rest of Israel,” said Palestinian Media Watch.

The website also cited the Ma’an news service, which quoted Haniyeh’s explanation that the partnership with Fatah was designed to”protect… the resistance project” and “the weapon of resistance.”

‘[Reconciliation] also means real partnership in the institution of leadership, adherence to the national principles, protection of the resistance project, protection of the weapon of resistance, and [joint] action with all our people for the release of the prisoners and Jerusalem.’”Haniyeh said: