With German papers splitting their coverage between domestic policy and the Auschwitz anniversary on Wednesday, the major theme of the day turns out to be Palestine. A few weeks back, editorialists worked themselves into a lather in excitement over Mahmoud Abbas's election, and then outdid one another remaining sceptical of his chances for success. Now, they're cautiously checking back in on his progress, spurred on by the recent Hamas announcement that it may join forces with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The center-right daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung sees this as good news for Palestine. Mahmoud Abbas has "so far, to some extent at least, fulfilled the expectations many had placed upon him, not least the Israelis." Even Hamas seems ready to play ball, with some talk of a new cease-fire. As the paper points out, though, "it links its offer with demands: Israel should end the occupation and free its Palestinian prisoners." This puts Abbas in a rough spot, and puts the onus on Israel. "Without some accommodations from the Israelis, Abbas's efforts are likely to be sent right back to the drawing board."

The conservative Die Welt sees the situation in a slightly different light. While saying that it is still too early to judge Abbas, it too thinks he's doing well. The next move, though, is up to Hamas. It sees hope in Hamas leader Chalid Meschaal's statement that Hamas might join the PLO: "The announcement could be the first step towards civilizing the extremists, and could ring in a peaceful hand-over of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians." It's too soon to know if that will really happen, though, and Hamas has a lot working against it. "Nonetheless, a few things speak for Hamas working with Abbas's big project: the group has been weakened by the concerted attacks from Israel.... Moreover, Hamas senses that it's losing support in the population."

The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung sees encouraging signs for peace in the Middle East, especially with the Hamas announcement. The paper notes, though, that such a partnership can only last so long. "While the PLO has officially given up fighting, the Hamas leadership insists that there can only be a limited-time cease-fire, before the fight for 'the whole of Palestine' can be taken up again." The two groups may work alongside one another for a time, but they are too different to simply become one. "The membership of Hamas in the PLO can consequently only last as long as the cease-fire does, and therefore it's a partnership for a limited time only."

Meanwhile, with Germany's government pushing for an initiative to grant gay married couples the same rights as traditional marriages, the topic is back in the opinion pages. It's been more than three years since same-sex partnerships were legally recognized in Germany, but there's still room for improvement in the government's policy say commentators.

The Berlin daily paper Berliner Zeitung reminds us that gays and lesbians, while able to secure legal partnerships, still don't enjoy the same rights within marriage as others in Germany. "This civil union is a second-class marriage," says the paper. There are many rights that come with marriage that still don't come with a civil union: for instance, the partner of a gay solider has no right to any pension. "It's therefore important that the (governing) coalition put this point, which until now has foundered in the face of opposition in the Bundestag, back on the agenda." It's also time for the opposition to wake up. "If the (opposition Christian Democrats) in the Bundestag just reflexively dismiss the new law as a devil's plaything, it's not just wrong. It also seems like a relic from a time long since passed."