Reports dribbling in to Jerusalem over the past few days indicate that US officials are enthusiastic about the Palestinian reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas. The news came as no surprise to the Israeli leadership.
True, previous more cautious American comments about the reconciliation effort seemed in accord with the Israeli position, including demands that any ensuing Palestinian administration must recognize Israel, renounce terrorism and approve all agreements signed between the parties. After the dust began to settle, a senior White House official was quoted by Haaretz as saying, "Egypt has helped us crack open a door to Gaza that didn’t exist a few weeks ago, and we see it as a possible opportunity." At the same time, the caveat was included that disarming Hamas will not happen overnight.