U.S. PLEDGES SUPPORT, BUT NOT $ FOR PALI UNITY GOVT.

U.S. Supports Abbas in Bid to Assemble Unity Cabinet
The Bush administration expressed support on Wednesday for efforts by Palestinian Chairman Abbas to establish a national unity government with Hamas, but said the U.S. would continue to withhold aid from the Palestinian Authority. (New York Times)

See also Quartet Approves PA Government with Hamas - Nathan Guttman
The international Quartet (the UN, U.S., EU, and Russia) declared its support on Wednesday for PA Chairman Abbas' efforts to form a unity government with Hamas. It was the first time the U.S. had supported the idea of a Palestinian government that included Hamas. The Quartet said it hoped [ED. WASN'T THIS A "REQUIREMENT" LAST YEAR?] the new PA unity government would recognize Israel, renounce terrorism, and accept previously signed agreements, but did not set these three principles as a condition for its acceptance of the new proposed government. Israeli diplomats were surprised by U.S. support for a Hamas-Fatah government. Senior sources in Jerusalem said Israel would not recognize Hamas, nor any organization of which Hamas was a member. (Jerusalem Post)

HAMAS WAS QUICK TO RESPOND BY STATING IT WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE ISRAEL.

Palestinian PM: We Won't Recognize Israel - Khaled Abu Toameh and Herb Keinon
PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh reiterated his opposition to recognizing Israel's right to exist and halting terrorism on Wednesday. Haniyeh said the Hamas-led government would not accept the conditions set by America and the rest of the Quartet for resuming financial aid to the Palestinians. "They are imposing unacceptable conditions on our people," he said, adding that the Palestinians have the right to continue the "resistance" against Israel. (Jerusalem Post)

WHY SHOULD THE PALESTINIANS NEGOTIATE AT ALL? ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS REFUSE TO FULFILL THEIR COMMITMENTS AND ENGAGE IN TERROR AND WAIT. THE WORLD WILL EVENTUALLY LOWER OR DROP ITS DEMANDS AND ISRAEL WILL CEDE TERRITORY IN EXCHANGE FOR .... NOTHING.