The height of PA and EU hypocrisy

According to the Jerusalem Post, the Eu and the Palestinian Authority are `upset' over the provisions made for non-Israeli Arabs to vote on Israeli sovereign territory in Jerusalem.

The setup `will not provide a free and fair' environment, according to European Union monitors and Palestinian Authority election officials.

Of particular concern, apparently, are lack of secrecy, lack of space to accommodate enough voters and intimidation - even if unintentional - by Israeli security personnel. PA Central Elections Committee chief officer Ammar Dwaik told the Post, "The [provisions] are inadequate; if they remain the way they are, they will not provide for free and fair elections."

Fascinating that Mr. Dwaik, a Fatah functionary, had nothing to say about the `lack of privacy and intimidation' suffered by Palestianian Security personnel required to vote a day early AND in their barracks under the eyes of Fatah commanders. Or the intimidation of election monitors by Hamas and various Fatah factions in Gaza.

"The devil is in the details," Veronique De Keyser, chief observer for the elections, told The Jerusalem Post. "But surely if the political issues can be worked out, so too can the technical ones."

Maybe you should start with your pals in the PA, Veronique. Just a suggestion.

Of course, a better suggestion would be for Israel to allow ALL of the non-Israeli Arabs to vote in the PA election...after leaving Israeli territory for good so they can participate in and enjoy the government they elected. Isn't that how it usually works in a `democracy'?

Since when do people get a vote in one government when they live under the auspices of another?

Just asking....not that I expect an answer.

Thailand jihad continues

As Joshua pundit has reported,one of the little known fronts in this war is in Southern Thailand. Over 1,100 people have been killed in a war to create a `caliphate' out of three provinces in Southern Thailand where the population is over 50% Muslim.>>> AsiaNews.it <<< Mastermind of southern violence identified, two people killed

Part of the problem is that the provinces border Muslim Malaysia, where the insurgents have been receiving sanctuary and arms.

Today, the victims of jihad were a 65-year-old man, Prom Suwanro, who was killed yesterday evening as he was returning home by motorcycle in Narathiwat. There was also a murder in the neighbouring province of Yala: the victim was a 23-year-old policeman who was gunned down. Also in Yala, a bomb , injuring three escort soldiers and a group of teachers.

One of the leaders of this jihad has been identified as 50-year-old Shafie Manso, an imam and teacher in a Madrassah and the leader of the largest separatist armed group in the south, the National Revolutionary Front-Coordinate, or BRN-C.

The refuge given to the Islamic terrorists by Malaysia has sparked a major diplomatic crisis between Thailand and it's southern neighbor.

Look for this to heat up further.

A couple of previous stories:

J O S H U A P U N D I T: Muslim terrorist kill 3 in Thailand

J O S H U A P U N D I T: Thais seek killers of two marines

Major al Qaeda bomb maker and chemical weapons expert killed in US Pakistan strike

According to ABC News, one of the al Qaeda terorists taken out in the U.S. missile attack in eastern Pakistan that just missed Zawahiri was none other than Midhat Mursi, 52, also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri. He was identified by Pakistani authorities as one of three known al Qaeda leaders present at an apparent terror summit conference in the village of Damadola.

The US had a $5 million reward for Mursi's capture. He was the one who reportedly ran al Qaeda's infamous Derunta training camp in Afghanistan.

Too bad some innocent people had to die because this scum and his four al Qaeda buddies,like many terrorists, decided to prove their bravery by using women and children as human shields.

But goo-ood riddance, anyway.

Iraq gets worse...more kidnappings and deaths

Terrorists attacked an armed convoy in a Sunni area of Western Baghdad, shot dead ten bodyguards and kidnapped two foreign engineers.Bodyguards shot dead as kidnappers seize more foreigners - World - Times Online

The two engineers, one from Malawi, the other from Madagascar, had been working for the Iraqi mobile phone company, Iraqna, and were driving towards a damaged antenna in the rebel hotspot of Abu Ghraib when they were ambushed.

This is NOT good, to say the least. And it seems to presage a coming trend,especially if terrorist prisoners are released in exchange for Jill Carrol.

Certainly everyone wishes her safe return, but this is a bad precedent...perhaps started by the successful (and very lucrative) kidnappings of Susanne Osthoff and British `Palestinian Human Rights worker' Kate Burton and her parents.

Iraqi Justice ministry reports early release for 6 prisoners held for terrorism by coalition.

I've seen a report that 6 prisoners will be given `early release' by the Iraqi justice ministry. This news comes on the heels of a video of kidnapped American journalist Jill Carrol aired on al Jazeera, and a threat to kill her in 72 hours unless prisoners were released.

The US government has obviously intervened and asked the Iraqi government facillitate paying this ransom in the hopes of saving Carrol's life.

Good and welcome news for her and her family, but bad news for the future, as the terrorists get the lesson that kidnapping Americans and holding them for ransom is a good way to do business.

Qoute O' The Day

"We have the necessary tools to defend our rights. Those who use harsh language against Iran need Iran 10 times more than we need them."

-President Ahmadinejad of Iran, Saturday

US, EU reject further Iran talks. Emergency IAEA meeting to be held

The US and the EU rejected Iranian overtures for further talks by Iran, with Javier Solana saying `there's not much left to talk about'.Reuters AlertNet - Solana and Rice say no point in more Iran talks An emergency meeting of the IAEA is being held at this time.IAEA meeting on Iran N-program to be held - by Rediff.com

In view of the lack of agreement with Russia and China, the Freedom Fighter doesn't see any concrete actions coming out of this latest diplomastic flurry.

Asked whether the China and Russia supported the U.S. and European stand against Iran, US Secretary of State Rice said both countries had expressed "grave concern" over Tehran and the United States would continue to work closely with both sides.

I can certainly read between THOSE lines, Madame Secretary

Strange days in the Middle East

Apparently Dick Cheney's trip to Egypt hasn't gone too well.

For one thing, Mubarak is upset about the Bush Administration's move to cut off the multimillion dollar grant paying for Egypt's security operations in the Gaza Strip and the Gazan-Egyptian border. Considering that Egypt ignored those arrangements and the Palestinians had a free hand to move terrorists and heavy weapons over the border, it's certainly justified. Cairo did nothing to earn that money.

Mubarak apparently told Cheney that if the money is not forthcoming, they are pulling their troops out. These are the same troops deployed late last year under Egyptian-Israeli military protocols signed to enable Israeli’s military exit from Gaza, the Rafah border terminal and the Philadelphi border enclave. We all know how well THAT worked!

Cheney ought to know that with the Arab world, it's `no baksheesh, no nothing'..

Mubarak, along with the Saudis is also upset at Washington's attitude towards the Iranians, believe it or not. The Saudis' foreign minister made a point of saying that the Saudi government was `against more nuclear weapons in the region' but said something different to Washington covertly.

Mubarak in particular is said to have accused the West of turning a blind eye to Israel’s atomic program while making a fuss about Iran and raised that issue with Cheney.

Apparently `our friends the Egyptians' to quote Dubbya, ain't feeling so friendly anymore. Maybe the showing the Muslim Brotherhood made in the recent `elections' had an impact on Mubarak.

Meanwhile, interim Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert went public and said in no uncertain terms that Israel will not tolerate enemies controlling weapons of mass destruction that threaten its existence.

With the West uncertain about how to deal with Iran, it may be up to Israel to deal with the menace as best it can..and worry about the diplomatic fallout later.

The latest on Jill Carrol

Iraqi abductors of US journalist Jill Carrol, 28, threaten to kill her in 72 hours unless Iraqi prisoners are freed. She was shown on video by al Jazeera (AKA `jihad TV') TV Tuesday night.

Let's hope she gets home safe.

US , Russia, China, EU not together on Iran sanctions.

In spite of the happy talk, there is considerable distance between the positions of Russia, China, The EU and the US on referring Iran to the UN Security Council for sanctions, let alone on any military action.

Russia and China are still strongly opposed to sanctions and favor more diplomacy.
Iran News - Russia-China still leery of UN action against Iran. China gets 12% of its oil from Iran, and the Iranian's threat to raise oil prices struck a chord in Beijing, to say the least.

The Iranians, for their part, are playing for time to finish things up and wrote to Britain, France and Russia asked for a renewal of `talks'.

Meanwhile, the Russians are again attempting to work both sides of the fence.
They are still `not ready' to back UN sanctions on Iran ABC News: Moscow Not Ready to Back Iran Strategy, but are attempting a back door strategy by trying again to convince the Iranians to allow uranium enrichment in Russia.

The Iranians have shown some signs of considering this. Monday, Jan. 16, the Iranian ambassador to Russia, Gholamreza Ansari, said his country is carefully examining Russia’s suggestion to establish a uranium enrichment joint venture on Russian territory. “We consider it constructive… a good initiative to sort out the situation,” he said to Russia’s Channel One.

The Iranians might seriously explore the Russian option, to find out if they can learn enough from the Russians to improve their enrichment techniques. Enrichment in Russia wouldn't stop them from continuing their own enrichment programs – openly in Natnaz and covertly at the closed military compound at Parchin and other sites scattered around the country. I wouldn't be surprised if the Iranians decided to seriously offer to discuss this project with Moscow.

They have nothing to lose, and time to gain. And in view of the disconnected results of the London meeting between the US, the EU, China and Russia, all the parties seem to be anxious to put off any hard decisions.

Pakistan now says at least 4 foreign al Qaeda terrorists died in US air strike.

Zawahiri may have escaped unscathed, but four, possibly five of his aides didn't.

That doesn't ease the anguish of the families of the innocent victims, but at least proves that the US strike was not a total intelligence mishap or an arbitrary decision. Even the Pakistanis are belatedly realizing it, and protests have cooled considerably.ABC News: Pakistan: 4 or 5 Terrorists Died in StrikeAs always, cowards like Zawahiri always hide behind the innocent.

The administration of Pakistan's semiautonomous tribal regions bordering Afghanistan also said that between 10 and 12 foreign extremists had been invited to the dinner at the village hit in Friday's attack, including Zawahiri.

It's only by sheer mischance that he decided not to attend.

The fire next time,Zawahiri....

Iraqi election results set for Friday, International team says vote `largely fair'

Iraq's electoral commission annulled results from 227 ballot boxes yesterday, upholding complaints of irregularities in the December 15 election.The Australian: Cancelled ballots 'won't change results of Iraq poll' [January 18, 2006]

The annulled ballots represent a mere fraction of the total vote and will have little or no effect on the results.

Final results are expected to be released Friday.

Sunni Arab and secular parties have already begun discussing joining a grand coalition government with the dominant Shia Islamists and the Kurdish bloc.

A four person team of international experts was brought in to review the election process and said the results will be published tommorow, but that the vote was largely fair.

Now comes the usual jockeying and coalition building common to parliamentary democracy. The Iraqis are learning fast! G-d speed to them, after all they've suffered.

Israelis kill Hamas commander in Tulkarm; round up 18 wanted Palestinians in sweep in Samaria

Hamas Tulkarm commander Thabat Salah-e-Din tried to shoot his way past the IDF today, trying to escape capture by the IDF. He was less than successful.

Inshallah, and good riddance.

Salah-e-Din has been on the IDF's `to do' list for quite some time as a planner of suicide attacks.Found in his hideout in Tulkarm were weapons and a supply of chemicals for making bomb devices.

The IDF scooped up 18 other wanted terrorists while they were at it.

ACLU, CAIR and `civil liberties groups' file suit against NSA, President Bush

Civil Liberties Groups File Lawsuits Against NSA Program
Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Well, we knew this was coming.

The ACLU, CAIR,The Center for Constitutional Rights, Greenpeace (!)and various individuals filed lawsuits in New York and Detroit (a center for the Islamic community in the US) aginst the NSA, President Bush and the heads of the other major security agencies over the wiretapping of calls to suspect phone numbers outside the US.FOXNews.com - Politics - Civil Liberties Groups File Lawsuits Against NSA Program

It seeks an injunction that would prohibit the government from conducting surveillance of communications in the United States without warrants.

The ACLU and CAIR are pretty notorious, but here's a bit of background on the so-called `Center for Constitutional Rights', another leftist group of radical lawyers.

The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) was co-founded in November 1966 by the radical attorneys Morton Stavis, Ben Smith, Arthur Kinoy, and William Kunstler, longtime members of the radical left.

Kinoy, a long time communist, was the attorney for convicted Soviet spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. He also was the lead attorney in a 1972 U.S. Supreme Court case that ruled that the government was obliged to obtain a warrant for telephone tapping, even in cases where national security was at stake.(This decision, made in the heat of Watergate, was subsequently reversed).

William Kunstler is well known and has a long time history of lawyering for radical causes.Lately. he's made a fetish of defending terrorists such as El Sayyid Nosair, a leader of Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman's terrorist network responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing (as well as thwarted plans to blow up New York's Lincoln and Holland Tunnels).

Since 9/11, the Center's main cause has been fighting the Patriot Act and championing the cause of terrorist attorney Lynne Stewart, an open supporter of terrorism, convicted of aiding and abetting the terrorist activities of her client, the "blind sheik," Omar Abdel Rahman who helped plan the first World Trade Center bombing.

The CCR is also a core activist organization in the Open Borders Lobby, which seeks to eliminate all control of U.S. borders.

When law-enforcement agencies attempted, after 9/11, to conduct voluntary interviews with several thousand Middle Eastern men who were in the United States on temporary visas, the CCR denounced such "racial profiling"; it made this same charge in response to the government's detention of hundreds of non-citizens from the Middle East for possible terrorist connections. When Attorney General Ashcroft warned that visa violators would henceforth be arrested, the CCR characterized his comments as "chilling." When new regulations permitted the FBI, CIA, and INS can share information about possible terrorist plots with one another, the CCR lamented such assaults on "our privacy."

In March 2002, CCR president Michael Ratner explained his views on the origins of anti-American terrorism. "If the U.S. government truly wants its people to be safer and wants terrorist threats to diminish," he said, "it must make fundamental changes in its foreign policies . . . particularly its unqualified support for Israel, and its embargo of Iraq, its bombing of Afghanistan, and its actions in Saudi Arabia.

In March 2005,the CCR represented the parents of terrorist groupie Rachel Corrie(who was accidentally crushed to death while trying to obstruct the path of a bulldozer being used in anti-terror operations by Israeli Defense Force soldiers in Gaza) and attempted to sue Caterpiller, who manufactures the bulldozers used for anti-terror operations by the IDF. The suit was thrown out of court.

CCR is supported, in part, by generous donations from the Ford Foundation, the JEHT Foundation, the Open Society Institute, and the Public Welfare Foundation. Or in other words, by the American taxpayer. Nice.

George Galloway to donate his 'reality show' earnings to Hamas Charity

Following wide spread ridicule and criticism over his impersonation of a cat on "Celebrity Big Brother", George Galloway decided to donate his six-figure television fee to a charity, Interpal.

As we've reported in Joshuapundit, Interpal is another name for the Palestine and Lebanon Relief Fund, which has been identifed as a front to raise money for Hamas.

In August 2003, the charity was outlawed in the United States, and designated as "an entity that commits, threatens to commit or supports terrorism."

The Israeli government has much data on this, and the Israeli ambassador, Zvi Hefetz, will be meeting with a Treasury minister this week to demand action by the British government against Interpal.

Documents captured in Operation Defensive Shield include receipts printed on InterPal stationary for the tranfer of monies from the charity to Hamas. Other documents found by Israeli forces in Bethlehem details a series of $100 gifts presented by Interpal and a Saudi charity, the World Assembly of Muslim Youth to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers on the occasion of a the three-day holiday ending the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in 2001. The document lists over two dozen family names, which Israeli security sources say includes the families of terrorist operatives from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and several families of Palestinian suicide bombers.

Joshuapundit reported last week that a group of victims of Palestinian terrorism have filed a lawsuit in New York's Federal Court against Britain's National Westminster Bank (Natwest), for allowing Interpal to have an account, despite being warned of its links with Hamas.

George Galloway who won election to Parliament in a particularly anti-Semitic campaign against a Jewish opponent in a mostly Muslim district has come in for
criticism for abandoning his parliamentary duties to participate in this television show. Galloway knows that his Muslim constituents are not the greatest fans of Israel. What better way of trying to appease them than by a donation to an anti-Israel charity ?

Smooth move, George.

A shout out to the Western Alliance for some of the info that appears in this post.

Permanent UN Security Council members meet on Iran

Today, the chief U.N. Security Council powers met to try and iron out a unified policy on Iran.

The London meeting of permanent Council members Britain, France, Russia, China and the United States, along with Germany, was aimed at bridging differences over Iran to prepare for an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The West wants it to convene next month.

Russia has a $1 billion dollar stake in Iran's nuclear program, not tomention arms sales, and Beijing is a top consumer of Iran's oil.

But Putin seems to at least be paying lip service to curbing Iran's nukes, saying "As for Russia, and Germany, and our European partners and the United States, we have very close positions on the Iranian problem."

The Freedom Fighter points out that sanctions wouild be largely meaningless, given Russia's land border with Iran. And thus Putin has little to lose either way.

The dance continues.

Jack Murtha, the Left's new attention junkie

I'm pretty much done respecting Jack Murtha. Principled dissent is one thing. Sedition is something else.

Murtha seems to love the attention he gets from the Left these days. Aside from his recent remarks advising Americans not to serve their country in the military, he's now openly schmoozing with one of the most despicable groups inthe pantheon of the anti-American Left.

Murtha took the time to do a `meet n' greet' on Jan. 5 with representatives of Code Pink.

Code Pink's website currently shows Murtha with his arms around Gael Murphy, the organization's co-founder, and Allison Yorra, its Washington coordinator. Murphy was one of the protesters arrested for disrupting the 2004 Republican National Convention.

In case anyone here doesn't know whom Code Pink is, they are the group that has championed military deserters, shilled for Venezuelan dictator (and anti-Semite) Hugo Chavez, traipsed around the Jordan-Iraq border last year condemning America, prayed for the "people of Fallujah," doled out $600,000 in aid to what they openly call "the other side" in Iraq and are planning a New Year's vacation to Cuba in solidarity with the Castro regime.

Code Pink was founded by 4 experienced activists and hardcore Communists - Jodie Evans, Medea Benjamin, Diane Wilson, and a radical Wiccan activist calling herself Starhawk. Ms. Evans is the nominal leader of the organization, which works closely with Medea Benjamin's group Global Exchange, which in turn maintains strong ties to the Communist Workers World Party (WWP). Code Pink also works hand-in-hand with United For Peace and Justice, whose leader Leslie Cagan is a longtime devotee of Fidel Castro and the Socialist Party USA.

Code Pink, at a mock war crimes tribunal in Istanbul June 27, signed a declaration that the Iraqi insurgency "deserved the support of people everywhere who care for justice and freedom." The document also rejected as illegitimate any democratic government left behind in Iraq.

They are also the chief protagonists and organizers of the obscene protests aimed at tormenting and mocking wounded troops at Walter Reed Hospital.

And of course they are the chief sponsors of Cindy Sheehan, also a noted anti-Semite, among her other accomplishments.

These are the people Murtha has hooked up with.

I would have expected it from the Leftists predominant in the Democratic party, but not from anyone who has actually risked his life to serve his country.

Any decent person would have thrown these traitors out of his or her office, head first.

Pakistanis protest US air strike....

Thanks and a hat tip to Patrick at
Clarity and Resolve

Today's acrobatics on Iran...

After all the harsh rhetoric over the weekend, some in the West apear to be looking for a way to grasp any straw to keep things quiet and finesse a showdown with the Iranians.

The Iranians started the ball in play by saying that only diplomacy, not threats of UN sanctions could end the crisis. ABC News: Iran wants diplomacy not threats in nuclear impasse What the Iranians would call what's been going on for the last 4 years if not diplomacy, I'm sure I don't know.

Needless to say, some elements of the West were more than eager to seize on even this turgid rhetoric.

The French (who else?) weighed for continued talks and diplomacy, even in the face of Iran's aggressive stance towards the West. French defence minister urges talks with Iran - Forbes.com And the Russians, caught between their multi billion ruble investment in Teheran's nukes and pressure from the US and the international community asked the Iranians to `reconsider'and play nice again.Russia Asks Iran to Reconsider

And this was after the IAEA's own Inspector Clouseau, Mohamed El Baradei was quoted saying he could not "confirm the peaceful nature of that (Iran's nuclear) program. " (!)


On the other hand, some of America's politicians appeared a lot more resolute.

Arizona Senator John McCain used an appearence on `Meet The Press' to say that Iran's nuclear ambitions constitute the gravest situation facing the United States since the end of the Cold War, aside from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. McCain, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee said it is time to bring the matter before the U.N. Security Council.

"We must go to the U.N. now for sanctions. If the Russians and the Chinese, for reasons that would be abominable, do not join us, then we would have to go with the willing," said McCain. "There is only one thing worse than the United States exercising a military option, that is a nuclear-armed Iran."

On the other side of the political spectrum, a senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Indiana's Evan Bayh, said that Iran `cannot be trusted'. Speaking on CNN's Late Edition program, the senator pointed to recent statements by Iranian President Ahmadinejad calling for the eradication of Israel and calling the Holocaust a "myth" as evidence of extremism and irrationality on the part of Iran's leadership.

"Iran is the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world. Iran is a menace. They have to be dealt with. Appeasement will not work. Nice words will not work," said Senator Bayh. "We need to use diplomacy, economic sanctions, other means so that we will not have to resort to military action. But the time to act is now".

Another Republican, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina,also pointed to tougher measures, saying that "all options," a phrase generally implying use of military force, should be kept open.

Even Senator Chuck Schumer(d-NY), normally a pussycat in matters like these said that he agreed with Mr. Graham. But noting that only Russia or China were likely to block a sanctions vote at the United Nations Security Council, Mr. Schumer said that if necessary, "we ought to play hardball with them."

It remains to be seen how this translates into action, but the rhetoric was in sharp contrast to what was coming out of France and Russia. Or for that matter, fromBritish Foreign Minister Jack Straw.

The Iranians meanwhile threatened that any sort of UN action would have the effect of raising world oil prices. Iranian Economy Minister Davoud Danesh-Jafari said "Any possible sanctions on Iran … could possibly, by disturbing Iran's political and economic situation, raise oil prices beyond levels the West expects."

And Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that Iran will consider using its control over oil prices as retalliation for potential sanctions on Iran.

The plot thickens...

Update on the Israeli/Palestinian situation and "Why the Palestinians are voting for Hamas"

An interesting read by the Jerusalem Post's David Horovitz.Jerusalem Post | Breaking News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World It doesn't auger well for peace in the Arab-Israeli conflict..but then you knew that,didn't you?

In other Israel news, the Israeli Knesset put the official seal of approval on Palestinians in East Jerusalem voting for Hamas. And Bush and the EU are of course, delighted.Jerusalem Post | Breaking News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish Worldof course aside from lip service,no one is pressuring the Palestinians and Abbas to reign in terrorism.

Israel took a proactive stance on its own today, closing down an illegal Hamas campaign headquarters in Jerusalem.Jerusalem Post |Hamas offices closed inEast Jerusalem

The offices belonged to a Palesinian `charity' called Wifadah, which was channeling money to Hamas and acting as a front for their campaign activities. Four Hamas activists were arrested including one big fish, Mohamed Abu Tir, who holds the top place on Hamas' electoral list in Jerusalem and is considered second in the Hamas heirarchy.

Israel has a ban on Hamas candidates being a ballot choice for the Jerusalem voters, so many of the Hamas candidates are appearing as `independents' on the Jerusalem ballots but as part of the Hamas list everywhere else. Cute!

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri had the last word: "We don't need Israeli permission to participate in the elections."

He's entirely correct, and Hamas is going ahead with its campaign anyway. Most polls show them getting at least 50% of the vote.

Posters featuring Hamas candidates have appeared in Arab neighborhoods in the city over the past 48 hours alongside pictures of Fatah representatives. Jerusalem Municipality workers and policemen removed many of the posters.

"We have many ways of conducting our election campaign in Jerusalem," said Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri. "We will use private radio and television stations and newspapers to spread our message. We also have many supporters who are working in the field."

Israel may labor under the fantasy that it can grease things for Abbas and Fatah like it did last time, but I don't see it as a viable option.

In any event, the `election results' will be decided in a sitdown between the parties before a single ballot is cast. Hamas and Fatah share exactly the same goal of driving the Jews into the sea. Any disagreements are merely about turf, influence and splitting the swag.

Think of it as sort of like one of the Mafia sitdowns in the `Godfather'.