But what can be done?

UN peace keepers. Everybody knows that they merely become a bargaining chip to whoever has the (or thinks they have) the upper hand on the ground.

The IDF can't "reoccupy" Gaza, whatever hatred is directed toward Fatah will fall on the IDF (since many see the current Fatah government as corrupt and a puppet of Israel/the West). Of course it does not and did not help matters that Israel and its Western allies did not acknowledge Hamas win and tried to by pass the election results by bypassing them.

Question is, if Hamas wins (and it looks like it will) what then?

Will Hamas clean up/reform the PA?
Will Israel change its tune about dealing with Hamas?
Will the U.S. ...

But what can be done?

UN peace keepers. Everybody knows that they merely become a bargaining chip to whoever has the (or thinks they have) the upper hand on the ground.

The IDF can't "reoccupy" Gaza, whatever hatred is directed toward Fatah will fall on the IDF (since many see the current Fatah government as corrupt and a puppet of Israel/the West). Of course it does not and did not help matters that Israel and its Western allies did not acknowledge Hamas win and tried to by pass the election results by bypassing them.

Question is, if Hamas wins (and it looks like it will) what then?

Will Hamas clean up/reform the PA?
Will Israel change its tune about dealing with Hamas?
Will the U.S. get serious about brokering a peace?
Will Hamas abandon suicide bombings (which are both immoral and militarily downright stupid)?

This spat between Hamas and Fatah would have happened sooner later. It suited now to distract attention away from the mortally wounded Olmert, but with nothing better to replace him with. Bad enough to lose a sexually active president, Mr StepAside, without loosing a PM at the same time.

Diversionary tactics.
Divide and rule in Gaza May 19th, 2007

Instead, not only is the noose tightened on the long-suffering population who are being starved and subjected to further violence, but Hamas is being undermined by US supplied arms, money and training to the rival faction Fatah. A...

This spat between Hamas and Fatah would have happened sooner later. It suited now to distract attention away from the mortally wounded Olmert, but with nothing better to replace him with. Bad enough to lose a sexually active president, Mr StepAside, without loosing a PM at the same time.

Diversionary tactics.
Divide and rule in Gaza May 19th, 2007

Instead, not only is the noose tightened on the long-suffering population who are being starved and subjected to further violence, but Hamas is being undermined by US supplied arms, money and training to the rival faction Fatah. Albeit in an Israel-slanted article, yesterday’s WaPo featured an article mentioning that the Bush administration had recently approved $40 million to train the 4000 troop-strong Palestinian Presidential Guard under Fatah leader Abbas’s direct control.

Note the date. I'm certainly not suprised by events. With all the lies that have been exposed and all the rest yet to be outed, why would you believe the version feed in American media.

Keep reading Haaretz to to be well informed.

The attack by Israel on Gaza and the Fatah squabble was well sign posted.

“It’s possible that Olmert will try to evade responsibility
for Israel’s defeat in Lebanon by waging war on the Gaza
Strip,” PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas told reporters
in Gaza City. “Olmert is facing a serious crisis and this could
be his way to salvage himself.”

MAY 01 2007

Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip said they did not rule out the
possibility that Israel would try to compensate for its
“defeat” in Lebanon by “stepping up its military
aggression” against t...

read more»

The attack by Israel on Gaza and the Fatah squabble was well sign posted.

“It’s possible that Olmert will try to evade responsibility
for Israel’s defeat in Lebanon by waging war on the Gaza
Strip,” PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas told reporters
in Gaza City. “Olmert is facing a serious crisis and this could
be his way to salvage himself.”

MAY 01 2007

Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip said they did not rule out the
possibility that Israel would try to compensate for its
“defeat” in Lebanon by “stepping up its military
aggression” against the Palestinians.

In hindsight, this was an excellent article. Most important of all is that it was published on May 01 2007!!!