”From the perspective of international law, the PLO’s legitimacy as a negotiating partner with Israel rests on its continuing adherence to these parameters, parameters that the international community has consistently reaffirmed. The unity agreement between Hamas and Fatah calls for “revitalizing and developing” the PLO. It represents not only a growing alignment between the two dominant political forces within Palestinian society but also suggests that a process is now underway that could very well see the PLO co-opted from within.

Technically, Hamas remains institutionally distinct from the PLO. As the latter moves closer and closer to the former, however, it will further and further divest itself of the special position that it currently enjoys under international law as the representative of the Palestinian people.

This would particularly be the case, of course, if the PLO were to actually invite Hamas to join its ranks. Although this possibility would have seemed quite unlikely just a few short years ago, when Hamas violently wrested control of Gaza from Fatah, it seems less unlikely now.”

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