I was listening to NPR this morning and heard a commentator, an Arabic professor [of what?] at Sarah Lawrence, express opinions that I did not expect to hear on a mainstream news show. Mahmoud Abbas, he said, was not trusted by many Palestinians, and would have to deal with Hamas, by including them in any negotiations. This is obvious in itself, but it was clear that the speaker understood Hamas and Hezbollah to be fully functioning political organizations, with clear goals and policies, and that they were hard line but smart. And whatever the Times may say today Abbas will not risk civil war, which Sharon and Bush may offer him (in an attempt to use him as a puppet.)