February 20, 2007 ... Unity.

Dr Condoleeza Rice: 'U.S. to await formation of Palestinian Unity Government.'

Whilst it would be nice to get away from self-defence and move on to more positive aspects of Israel and its relationship with its allies and trading partners, we are yet again buried to the eyeballs in having to deal with the unity desired by radical Islamic terrorists and their allies as a contingency to the unity and peaceful coexistence of ourselves and our allies and trading partners.

There is simply no debate worth having. Until the proto-Palestinian government including Hamas and Fatah recognises Israel's right to exist and is prepared to negotiate terms based upon past agreements, all funding from the Quartet and sympathetic Arab states must be withheld until such times as the proto-Palestinian government including Hamas and Fatah is prepared to do so. To do otherwise is simply inviting disaster upon ourselves, and will freshly embolden radical Islamists the world over, to increase their use of terrorism, to achieve their goals.

As has already been clearly demonstrated by our unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza strip as of August 15-17, 2005, and the prior UN negotiated withdrawal from Lebanon as of June 16, 2000, any acquiescence on our part is understood by those we are in conflict with, to be a clear sign of weakness, and the prompt for the subsequent violence perpetrated against us.

In addition, at this particularly difficult time, we also have to be seriously concerned about the Iranian administration and its President's clearly indicated intentions towards Israel and its foremost western allies. Thus, the proto-Palestinian government including Hamas and Fatah, must be forced by all means necessary, to come to the unequivocal understanding that this time is the last time for any negotiated settlement.