David Bedein

After one year of no signs from Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit, taken captive by Hamas on June 25, 2006, an audio-taped recording of what is believed to be Shalit's voice was released to the media in Gaza on the anniversary of the capture.

The Israeli media dubbed this "the summit of low expectations."

Only 10 days have passed since Hamas took control, and the first signs that the Gaza Strip is turning into a fanatic Islamic emirate already can be seen.

A four-way summit meeting among Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, King Abdullah of Jordan and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is being planned for early next week in Sharm el-Sheikh.

The question remains, however, whether the U.S. government should consider schools of the Palestinian Authority as one of those "moderate" elements that should once again be funded by the U.S. government.

Hamas leaders have found a new haven in Cairo, and have been welcome guests in the highest level of the Egyptian government over the past few months.By this past Friday, Hamas gained control of the entire Gaza Strip, including the borders with Egypt and Israel.

Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Condolzeeza Rice announced that the US would now provide more arms and ammunition for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Yet Rice gave no indication as to how she would assure that supplies headed towards Abbas, AKA Abu Mazen, would remain in Abbas' hands.

Hamas forces continued to consolidate their hold on the Gaza Strip on Thursday, seizing increasing numbers of positions that formerly were manned by Palestinian security services loyal to Fatah, chaired by Mahmoud Abbas, also know as Abu Mazen.

Human Rights Watch has accused Palestinian groups of committing "serious violations of international humanitarian law, in some cases amounting to war crimes."