Progress on Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks?

PA negotiator: Endgame peace deal could bring Hamas-run Gaza back into fold

"On Saturday, aides to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat that the atmosphere in the Palestinian delegation to the peace talks had "taken a 180-degree turn" for the better. The aides added the Palestinian delegation was pleased the United States planned to include all the core issues in an agreement to be reached by the end of 2011. These core issues deal with the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and borders."

[---]

"Erekat also referred to the possibility of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip accepting a possible peace deal with Israel."

Surely Obama will want to claim credit, and well he should, but the real credit should go to ..... drum roll please ..... Ahmadinejad and the Mad Mullahs".

"The one who does not represent the Iranian people, who falsified election results, who oppressed the Iranian people and stole authority has no right to speak about Palestine, its president or its representatives," Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh said about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad".

[---]

"'President Mahmoud Abbas came to power through free, democratic and authentic elections supervised by more than 2,000 international and Arab monitors,' Abu Rudaineh said in response. 'We are the ones who fought for Palestine and Jerusalem ... the Palestinian leadership did not oppress its people as did the Iranian leadership under Ahmadinejad.'"

[---]

"Last week, Egypt canceled a visit by Iran's foreign minister to protest comments he made accusing Arab leaders of betrayal for attending the new round of Mideast peace talks in Washington."

Still, I think it might take more than that to bring Hamas into the fold. Saving face, you know, that honour thing, is a big deal with Arabs. Especially ones who aren't directly involved and those who have built their careers on fomenting hatred.