In my previous post (cross-posted here), Israel was named as a potential supplier of arms to the Fatah terrorists to aid them in their battle against Hamas. We now know why. “U.S. pressing Israel to bolster pro-Abbas forces in Gaza,” by Aluf Benn for Haaretz:
The United States is pressing Israel to help bolster security forces in the Gaza Strip that are loyal to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Major General Keith Dayton, the U.S. security coordinator, recently discussed the function of the pro-Abbas Presidential Guard and National Security forces with senior Israeli officials.
The Americans believe that strengthening Abbas loyalists and deploying them in friction points along the north of the strip and Philadelphi route in Rafah will eventually improve the security situation.
The defense establishment is undecided about helping to bolster the pro-Abbas forces and enabling Abbas to pay their wages. Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh is the main advocate for helping to strengthen the Abbas loyalists.
“The idea is to change the balance, which so far has leaned in Hamas’ favor. Well-trained [pro-Abbas] forces could help tip the balance,” Sneh told The Washington Post.
“We don’t give them operative orders, that’s Abbas’ business,” he added.
The head of the research division of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Yossi Baidatz, on Friday told the diplomatic corps that the Hamas modus operandi in Gaza was identical to that developed by Hezbollah in South Lebanon. “Hamas is taking over Fatah and Abbas’ properties and equipment that the international community is bringing into Gaza,” he said in an intelligence briefing at the Dan Hotel.
The US continues to play a hypocritical game of fighting the war on terror while simultaneously supporting terrorists. It makes you wonder how deeply the State Department and the Bush administration have studied Fatah and the whole “Palestinian” situation in general — and what their interests really are.