They'll probably do what the PLO did, claim they've changed their stance in English, to the West, without actually changing it. Westerns are easily fooled that way.

Yes, but it's the Palestinians they have to fool and when you change whjat you tell the people you change them and yourself. Rhetoric becomes reality.

With Abbas making allegations about al Qaida infiltration of the West Bank and Gaza, this is looking more and more like a mad dash towards the center for both of the Palestinians' main factions.

Both Hamas and Fatah may want to continue the Arafat "Say one thing, do another" tactic, but both still want to be in titular control of the situation. Having an al Qaida operation there that answers to neither party would pretty much give Israel Carte Blanche to do whatever the like, with any protests by either Hamas or Fatah being de facto admission of support for terrorism not just against Israel, but against other nations around the world.

John;

I have wondered if that wasn't the plan from day one.

By claiming an Al Q. presence, the Palis can hide once again after each bombing they perpetrate by saying: "It wasn't us - it was those mean A.Q. baddies who we cannot control."

They can say that, but unless they do something about it, they can't object to the Israelis, and possibly even the U.S., taking action, unless they want to claim a soverign right to harbor al Qaida cells. We know how well that one worked out for the Taliban.

They won't object, John. They'll welcome the attacks by Israel so they can run to the UN and to the Eurowienies, complaining how the Jeeeews are killing them while occupying their lands. At the same time, they'll be asking for more money to feed their "starving" people.

Remember friends, the fateful words of Abba Eban "that the Arabs have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity." This will be more of the same, no matter what the "Palestinian People" want.