Starting me out with a softball? Okay. Palestine is not a parliamentary system like the Germany or Israel, it is a presidential system like the USA. The Palestinian legislature is an entirely domestically focused institution. It does not control negotiations with Israel. It does not control foreign policy. It does not control the armed forces of Palestine. It controls things like the budget, corruption, land reform, taxes, etc. The Presidency controls all the things that we in the international community care about. Abbas won the presidency. Hamas won the legislature (according to every international observer, corruption was the primary focus of the legislative elections).
I'm so very glad you agreed with me. The PLC is not like parliaments. It has the "power of the purse" though, with budgets. Hamas boycotted the presidential election, but won the legislature. The same legislature, of course, controls public and internal security. Do you really think having a terrorist group in charge of security was going to help Israel? Really?
But ignoring even that, I see you didn't point to the fact that Haniyeh would win an election now over Abbas. Which is convenient. Just look at the numbers:
If new presidential elections are held today and only two were nominated, Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmoud Abbas, the former would win a majority of 53% (compared to 55% three months ago) and the latter 42% (compared to 38% three months ago). In the Gaza Strip, Abbas receives 44% and Haniyeh 54%. In the West Bank, Abbas receives 41% and Haniyeh 53%.
Go figure.
Also the unity government didn't expire. The process of the PA taking control over Gaza from Hamas has stalled in recent weeks, but the agreement hasn't been cancelled.
Takes two to be partner to a unity government. Hamas insists it expired, meaning it's over.
The PLO/PA didn't recognize Israel, agree to a two state solution, or renounce violence until the Oslo Accords, so referring to events before then is sort of besides the point.
The point is that you said that the majority of the conflict has been settlements. The conflict existed before settlements. That's what I pointed out.
Israel wants the Palestinians to renounce violence. Thats what they did
Really? The government they want to elect today and the one they elected to the legislature renounced violence? The one in control of the Gaza strip? The one leading a group that would, according to the poll I posted above, supports sending rockets into Israel to the tune of 77%.