Mahmoud Abbas/AP

After failing to reach a national unity agreement with Hamas in Cairo, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a unilateral call for elections. He did not consult with Hamas, which is now furiously calling the elections illegitimate and illegal. Below is a media roundup.

Do read Neal Ungerleider's post for True/Slant. He provides excellent commentary, explains the risks of Abbas's decision and provides valuable links.

Also at True/Slant, Eileen White explains why Palestinian elections could worsen the MidEast mess.

Excerpt:

Democratic elections should be considered a good thing. Palestinian law says the president should call for national elections three months before the obligatory election date; the current legislative council ends its four-year term on January 24.  The U.S. supports the Abbas-led Palestinian government and the fact that its leaders, though under foreign occupation and without access to 1 1/2 million of its citizens in Gaza, adheres to the principles of a democracy.

Yet the sad irony is that an election among the stateless Palestinians could slow the creation of their long-hoped-for state. Why: Absent the formal reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, elections are far more likely to degenerate into violence than bring unity. Yet for Hamas reconciliation requires enormous changes in the Gazan modus operandi – recognizing Israel, renouncing violence. How likely is this to happen?

The Lebanon Daily Star editorial points out that Palestinian discord serves Israel.

Excerpt:

The familiar power struggle not only diverts both groups from taking aim at the target they were originally established to achieve – the creation of a Palestinian state – in the interim it also reinforces Israel’s claims that Palestinians are not fit to rule themselves, and that Israel has no valid partner for peace.

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