So, how soon...

[Skeptic]

The EU, part of the so-called "quartet", had vowed not to deal with the PA's government as long as it doesn't recognize Israel or gives up terror.

Now that a new so-called "unity government" formed in the PA--a government which, explicitly, declared it will never recognize Israel and will never give up terror.

The question is: how long will it be before the principled, tough Europeans give up on their demands, and decide to recognize and deal with the new government anyway?

I give it a week.

 

[AmateurScientist]

I give it a week.

I say you're an optimist.

AS

 

[Darat]

The EU, part of the so-called "quartet", had vowed not to deal with the PA's government as long as it doesn't recognize Israel or gives up terror.

Now that a new so-called "unity government" formed in the PA--a government which, explicitly, declared it will never recognize Israel and will never give up terror.

The question is: how long will it be before the principled, tough Europeans give up on their demands, and decide to recognize and deal with the new government anyway?

I give it a week.

Perhaps the EU will take its lead from the Isrealis? I.e. avoid direct dealings but still provide financial support for the Palestinians?

 

[Skeptic]

I say you're an optimist.

AS

Yeah, I know.

European appeasement usually has five stages:

1). Declare that tough action to stop madman X from killing Y would "only make the situation worse" and is a "simplistic, American cowboy solution".

2). When irrefutable evidence of X's plans for killing Y is seen, declare X is morally disgusting and an awfully horrid chap, and impose some meaningless sanctions.

3). X still refuses to stop his quest of killing Y. Lift sanctions, claiming that the fact that X still wants to kill Y means the sanctions "aren't working" and are "collective punishment".

4). Declare that, in the world of realpolitics, there's no choice but to admit that X will, unfortunately, kill Y whether Europe wants it or not. Stop being concerned about the issue. Talk about something else. The weather's been nice lately, wasn't it?

5). Use revisionist "root cause" historians to re-write history and explain why Y's demise was not due to Europe doing nothing and betraying your principles without a fight--Y actually had it coming all along.

For all its talk about "diversity" and "progressive" morality, Europe is morally bankrupt, since it lacks the most important thing for moral behavior: the ability to actually act against evil.

For this reason, the evil people in this world--Hamas, Ahmanedijad, etc.--know full well that Europe can be dismissed as any sort of serious resistance to their plans, and, if they're lucky, will actually assist them by playing the part of the useful idiot.

 

[AmateurScientist]

For all its talk about "diversity" and "progressive" morality, Europe is morally bankrupt, since it lacks the most important thing for moral behavior: the ability to actually act against evil.

Oh, come on, Skeptic. Don't you know that the most evil thing in the world is to be an American cowboy? It takes a tremendous amount of moral courage to stand up from your coffeehouse chair with your unfiltered Galouise Bleu in your left hand and your espresso in your right to (cower) denounce from 3000 miles away the cowboy as an imperialistic bully.

(The useful idiot charge is also apt. Painful to accept and admit, perhaps, but apt nonetheless).

AS

 

[Darat]

Yeah, I know.

European appeasement usually has five stages:

...snip...

European? Or do you mean the EU?

 

[Darat]

...snip...

For this reason, the evil people in this world--Hamas, Ahmanedijad, etc.--know full well that Europe can be dismissed as any sort of serious resistance to their plans, and, if they're lucky, will actually assist them by playing the part of the useful idiot.

Anyone confirm how much financial support the USA gave to the Palestinians in 2006, I found a figure of $245 million being quoted for 2006 but figure was given in April 2006 so I'm not sure if it represents a total for the year? Also didn't the USA criticise the Israeli government in 2006 for not handing over about $50 million dollars they'd collected on behalf on the Palestinian authorities? And as far as I recall they did subsequently pay out?

So applying Skeptic's reasoning the evil people in this world--Hamas, Ahmanedijad, etc.--know full well that the USA and Isreal can be dismissed as any sort of serious resistance to their plans, and, if they're lucky, will actually assist them by playing the part of the useful idiot.

 

[Schneibster]

Man, and I thought I was cynical about my government.

 

[Gurdur]

.....I give it a week.

I will put that in the same place I keep your predictions on how the Iraq2 war would go.

Dude, you're doing worse than Sylvia Browne.

 

[strathmeyer]

Man, and I thought I was cynical about my government.

Dude, they have government everywhere!

 

[Schneibster]

...

 

[geni]

I give it a week.

When was the last time the EU managed to do anything inside a week?

 

[webfusion]

Wait a second --- this is not accurate:

The EU, part of the so-called "quartet", had vowed not to deal with the PA's government as long as it doesn't recognize Israel or gives up terror.

Now that a new so-called "unity government" (has been) formed in the PA--a government which, explicitly, declared it will never recognize Israel and will never give up terror...

The question is: how long will it be before the principled, tough Europeans give up on their demands, and decide to recognize and deal with the new government anyway?

I give it a week.

First of all -- the entire premise of the OP is incorrect.
There has not been a PA unity government formed yet.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/833103.html

You're jumping ahead here, Skeptic.

• Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh failed to make progress on talks toward forming a unity government, an official said early Monday.
  Hamas cabinet spokesman Ghazi Hamad said they hoped to present a government by the end of the period allotted to Haniyeh, which expires in two weeks.

 

[webfusion]

OK, now you may proceed to start the counting...

March 17th, the new PA Unity Gov't is formed -- by March 24th, will there be a relaxing of funding?

Washington is intending to pursue "unofficial contacts" with Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad.

In answer to Darat, yes, there is/was money being transferred to the Palestinians, mainly throught the PIF, and bypassing HAMAS-run official government accounts. Neither Israel nor the USA allows transactions with HAMAS, since that would violate laws of both nations regarding lending support to terrorist organizations.

Fayyad will run all new funds through the PIF or similar financial "front", and it will reach the various Palestinian institutions through this back-door channel.


In answer to the OP, here is your answer, from Reuters:

• European diplomats said on Friday that Britain intends to allow diplomatic contacts with non-Hamas members of the Palestinian unity government. "Britain is not going to have contact with Hamas but there are members of the government who are not Hamas and British diplomats will be able to have contact with them," a senior diplomat said.
  "The priority now will be to see just how we can engage with the national unity government. We will be discussing that with our international partners soon and initially it would be easier to engage with those independent members of the national unity government."

**** (Independent Minister Fayyad is specifically the guy who these reports refer to.) ****

 

[WildCat]

March 17th, the new PA Unity Gov't is formed -- by March 24th, will there be a relaxing of funding?

Of course, in fact, at least one country has already lifted their sanctions!

The coalition stopped short of explicitly recognizing Israel or renouncing violence,...

But other countries and the U.N. said they were encouraged by the formation of a government more accommodating of Israel than its Hamas-led predecessor.
Norway immediately recognized the new coalition and announced it would lift sanctions. Britain and the U.N. signaled flexibility - suggesting that the wall of opposition to the Palestinian government could start crumbling if the coalition keeps anti-Israel activities in check.

Way to go Norway, what resolve you've shown! Surely this is the path to peace...

eta: so I guess the answer to the question is "less than 1 day".

 

[webfusion]

Ireland and Spain have now called for an unconditional normalization of relations.

 

[Dr Adequate]

Europe is morally bankrupt, since it lacks the most important thing for moral behavior: the ability to actually act against evil.

Is this "acting against evil"?

No? How about this?

 

[Tony]

dont feed the trolls

 

[Fell]

The question is: how long will it be before the principled, tough Europeans give up on their demands, and decide to recognize and deal with the new government anyway?

I give it a week.

Your toughtful and in-depth analysis was wrong. It took more than a week. The EU representative to the ME Marc Otte has been in contact with the foreign minister from the Fatah-Hamas government Ziad Abu Amr.

Also, the US General Consul in Jerusalem Jacob Walles has been in contact with the finance minister from the Fatah-Hamas government Salam Fayyad. But I suppose you want to ignore this piece of information.

 

[webfusion]

Your thoughtful and in-depth analysis was wrong. It took more than a week.

You meant to say, it took less than a week.
The new government was declared on March 17th, so these meetings and the contacts you describe (as well as other pronouncements from various nations about renewing relations with the PA) have occurred in the time frame of under 7 days.