The Palestinians don't have a single reason to keep a ceasefire going without the Israelis giving them something.

Sharon, et al keep saying there can be no talks, until the Palestinians are disarmed. The Israelis know that won't happen, which is why it is their Demand #1. If you can't get past #1, you don't have to worry about a damn thing, and can keep blaming the Palestinians for not coming to the table.

We've seen these power games before in the Middle East, beginning with the first "peace process" that wasn't really a peace process, just like we've seen the sham Northern Ireland "peace process" go down the same road. That is how the repressive state co-opts the counter movements to their repression.

But Hamas has played this as smartly as the ANC did in South Africa. Hamas is going to be the most powerful of the Palestinian movements for decades, because they built social welfare institutions that are functioning under an occupation, during sieges, etc. They are pretty tough hombres--every bit as tough as Sharon, et al. So we'll see. Hammas isn't a party to this ceasefire...whatever it is. The parties didn't even sign an agreement, so I don't know what the fuck this is supposed to be about.