On the surface, it seems logical sincere friends of an Israeli-Palestinian peace would be nervous about reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, given the latter's terrorist history and declared unwillingness to recognize Israel.

But this understandable reaction — hinted at by a U.S. government spokeswoman — should be re-examined in light of the weak state of the existing "peace process." In fact, the Fatah-Hamas rapprochement may well be a positive development in the elusive search for a meaningful peace.

Because everything involving Israel-Palestine is both convoluted and contentious, let me break it down into some simple propositions. If you disagree, you can tell me where I've gone wrong.