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TechnoratiStill, agreeing on the details of a new border deployment, such as what powers would be given to Abbas' forces, would be daunting. Abbas and Hamas, bitter political rivals, have been unable to reach consensus on any key issues since the internal Palestinian power struggle erupted in full force in January 2006, following Hamas' sweeping victory in parliament elections.
Abbas and his aides, meanwhile, are going out of their way to avoid the impression that they are benefiting from Israel's war in Gaza. "We are not going to get back to Gaza according to the results of this war," said Mohammed Dahlan, a former Gaza strongman who was sidelined by Abbas after the Hamas takeover. "We would return according to an internal understanding with all Palestinian factions."
While Israel's Gaza campaign opened new diplomatic opportunities, it cost Abbas popularity at home. In the first days of the fighting, with Arab satellite channels broadcasting horrific images of destruction and loss of life in Gaza, Abbas partly blamed Hamas, saying it gave Israel a reason to attack.
He's since hardened his tone against Israel, denouncing the offensive on Sunday as "brutal aggression."
However, he's still widely seen in the Palestinian areas as aloof and uncaring. The impression has been deepened by the crackdown of his security forces on anti-Israeli protests in the West Bank.
There were some signs that the Gaza fighting has boosted Hamas at Abbas' expense.
In the West Bank city of Nablus, Abdel Ghani Marmash, a longtime supporter of Abbas' Fatah movement, said he's switching to Hamas.
"I was arrested 19 times by the Israelis" as a Fatah supporter, he said. "Today, I am honored to follow the Hamas flag. At a time like this, all Palestinians are Hamas."
