Israel

Hamas, bankrupt and friendless, hopes to use violence to win support. Israel cannot do otherwise than act.

Actions matter more than words, says Arab politics scholar David Pollock, but incitement by Palestinians and Israelis sometimes leads to violent deeds.

The Obama administration would be on firm ground in making further aid and diplomatic support conditional on the PA either acting unambiguously to end Hamas violence or dissolving its partnership with that U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

With a massive Israeli crackdown under way, the militant Palestinian movement is struggling to determine its true identity.

Israeli authorities have been targeting the group's financial networks in Europe and elsewhere for some time.

If U.S. policy was to "wait and see" how the Hamas-approved Palestinian reconciliation process would unfold in practice, the test is now.

Hamas seems intent on using Hezbollah's "bullets plus ballots" approach to gain a military and political foothold in the West Bank, the PA, and the PLO.

In the coming days, the Obama administration faces key decisions on how to respond to a Palestinian government "backed by Hamas," whether to condone Hamas participation in Palestinian elections, and what strategy to adopt in response to another effort by Palestinians to enhance their status in the UN.

Even if a permanent deal isn't achievable right now, Washington can still foster a process that contributes to peacemaking.