So once again we find ourselves in the position of granting all the power and initiative to groups like Hamas who de facto control the process. Like publius said the other day, Hamas needs Sharon and Sharon needs Hamas. Unless you suscribe to the theory that Abbas could snap his fingers and terrorism from extremists would end tomorrow, or in a week, or in a month, then you see the fallacy of this proposition. Sharon counts on the fact that Hamas will deliberately derail peace talks, so he can comfortably make their acts of violence a pretext for refusing to negotiate or withdrawing from talks should they commence. He appears reasonable (to Americans and few others around the world) by pretending to want peace and negotiations, while he knows all along that as long as he includes those prerequisites, he will never have to negotiate in earnest. In the meantime, he swaps expensive and difficult to defend settlements in Gaza for an increased annexation of the West Bank - again, appearing the reasonable party (not to mention the deliberate vacuum left in Gaza by the manner of the proposed withdrawal).