New Page In Palestinian Cooperation: Kidnappings Continue

The Palestinian terrorists Meshaal and Abbas met in Mecca to try and iron out their differences, and claim to have agreed to something. Too bad that their thugs back in Gaza are still busy kidnapping each other.

Meanwhile, despite the informal truce and Saudi-hosted power-sharing talks, a Hamas supporter in the West Bank, Dr. Bilal Aboushi, was kidnapped by gunmen.

Aboushi is general manager of hospitals in the West Bank. In recent weeks, Fatah has kidnapped scores of Hamas sympathizers in the West Bank, in retaliation for Hamas attacks on Fatah supporters in Gaza.

So, now the media calls it an informal truce? Are you kidding me?

Abbas and Haniyeh vow to stay in Mecca until they hammer out a deal. That makes perfect sense. With all the assassination attempts and kidnappings in Gaza, it isn't safe for either thug to be in the territories, so staying in Mecca is safer than returning to Gaza City or the West Bank. They can also claim that they're working on the unity government, knowing full well that the thugs back in the territories will continue their deadly business regardless of what happens in Mecca. For Haniyeh and Abbas personally, it's a win win situation. For the Palestinians, it once again means that they're stuck between a rock and a hard place. There's no pressure on either Haniyeh or Abbas to come to a deal when they're not actually in Gaza to deal with an angry mob looking for answers.

Of course, what exactly is the framework of the talks and the nature of a unity government that Hamas and Fatah want to create? Here's a hint - it revolves around the timing of the final conflict with Israel designed to eliminate it from the map. Hamas isn't going to give up its intention to destroy Israel - let alone recognize it for purposes of getting the West to loosen the purse strings.

All the same, Hamas and Fatah aren't quite sure that the talks will amount to anything as the terrorists are busy fortifying their positions all around Gaza waiting for the next round of fighting to resume.

UPDATE:
Meanwhile, a delegation of New York City officials who were visiting Sderot were forced to take shelter because the Palestinian terrorists decided to lob a couple of rockets in Sderot's direction.

A delegation of New York City Council members experienced a rocket attack yesterday on a trip to an Israeli border town.

Just as local officials were explaining how often Sderot, near the border with Gaza, comes under Palestinian Arab fire, an alarm went off, warning of an imminent rocket attack. The 11-member City Council delegation, led by Speaker Christine Quinn, hurried to an underground room from the office of Mayor Eli Moyal.

No one was injured, but Ms. Quinn said the afternoon deeply affected her. "To have felt something like that firsthand — and to feel that sense of worry and being completely out of control of the situation — really sticks with you," she said.