The New Face of Palestine

January 30, 2006

If you follow the news at all then you probably know that the Palestinian group called Hamas has been voted to power in largely recognized fraud-free elections in Palestinian regions. Hamas swept to nearly a 2/3rds majority over the long time leading faction known as Fatah which was the party of Arafat, and now the recently elected president Abbas. Prior to the recent elections Hamas had consistently called for and actively worked towards the destruction of Israel. This is the group that has parades of suicide bombers just like we have parades of marching bands.

The world press seems to have labeled this election as a catastrophe for the United States (and Israel). Several news sources have said things like “Beware of what you ask for” pointing to Bush and other world leader’s implications that Democracy leads to peace, and the seeming failure of that doctrine in the face of free elections of militant Muslim groups (in Palestine and Egypt).

However I contend that this could be a great opportunity. As many have already pointed out Hamas has never had to lead before so we don’t know what they will do. We only know what they’ve been saying and doing up until now.

Certainly their election is a serious matter. Any time a group, calling for another nations downfall, rises to power the world rightly sits up and takes notice. But the Palestinians receive hundreds of millions of dollars in aid from Europe and the US. If Hamas continues to call for the destruction of Israel then that money will almost certainly be cut off (as well it should IMO).

Without that aid it seems certain that the already dire Palestinian economy would be decimated. Most observers claim that Hamas won because Palestinians wanted to oust the corruption of the entrenched Fatah rather than for the fiery rhetoric and actions of the Hamas. So if Hamas wants to stay in power it seems likely that they will try to preserve that aid. Thus if the world stays resolute in providing aid only if Hamas recognizes Israel’s right to exist then we have an opportunity. We get to support a democracy of a different flavor than our own, but at the same time we (may) get to temper their militaristic stance.

At least this is my theory and my hope. It could be that Hamas will continue to attack Israel only this time with the “legitimacy” of an elected government. That would indeed be a horrific result. But they have not done this, and very very delicate signs exist that they won’t. I say keep up their aid in the very short term. Add an immediate rule that they must support Israel’s right to exist (this seems to be what Europe is currently doing). Then give them a short time to comply, and then assuming they do comply go on from there. I haven’t figured out what to do if they don’t comply.