Noteworthy Headlines

Hamas Election -- an observation and US perspective

Israel strengthened Hamas. Why - How?

Hamas was founded in 1987, 20 years after Israel's illegal land grab of Gaza and the West Bank. Twenty years after unenforced UN resolution 242. Hamas likely would never been founded if UN resolution 242 had been enforced and Israel not occupied Gaza and the West Bank.

Israel held onto the West Bank and Gaza too long and it would likely have held onto Gaza except that Hamas likely made it too expensive for them to do so and Sharon had to make a token offer under US pressure to get onto the Roadmap. This was a small token move. Only about 9,000 illegal settlers resided there as opposed to over 200,000 illegal settlers in the West Bank and E. Jerusalem. Many believe that this was cover move by Sharon to hold on to all or significant parts of the West Bank and E. Jerusalem.

Sharon and even more so the Likud Party*, trying to hold onto the West Bank, also turned down the Geneva Accords put together by Israeli and Palestinian moderates and the Saudi Plan accepted by all Muslim nations. Both plans were compatible with the Roadmap sponsored by the Quartet (US, UN, EU and Russia). If either or both plans had been committed to by Israel, Hamas likely wouldn't have been elected and a more moderate party would still be in charge and peace would be on the way or at least have a much better chance.

Instead, the perception among most Palestinians, correct or otherwise, was that Hamas should get most of the credit for the Gaza pullout and then voted that way. The Palestinians perception with the wall going up, West Bank settlements being expanded, and no negotiations going forward, chose Hamas as they thought the only thing Israel understands is force. This is unfortunate, but Hamas's victory should be laid right where it belongs, with right wing, land grabbing, self righteous Israelis.

The Christian fundamentalists such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell also share some of the blame for this. They have leaned on the administrations not to enforce UN resolution 242 which we signed which called for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied land since 1967. They allied themselves with right wing expansionist Israeli sympathizers and agents in this country and supported a greater Israel*. They even sent money to Israel to bring immigrants to there settle on Palestinian land. This, coupled with unwarranted US aid, further enhanced the image of US as the great Satin in the Muslim world.

Now we have an even bigger mess on our hands and a hard core militant government to deal with -- and deal with it we must if we ever hope to win the war on terrorism and settle things down in the Middle East. Rational observers such a Jimmy Carter should be listened to, not arbitrarily rejected in knee jerk reactions to the Hamas victory.

There are only a few glimmers of hope now, one being that Hamas was willing to have a 10 year truce if Israel would go back to the 1967 lines and stop killing Hamas leaders. (Israel kept up targeted assassinations and didn't withdraw.) That is a small thread of hope which should be worked and expanded for all it is worth. Obviously Hamas must recognize the right of Israel to exist and not insist of the Palestinian refugee?s right to return to pre-1967 Israel.

Democracy and frustration have spoken. Now we must deal with it.

* It should be noted that many rational US and about fifty percent of Israeli Jews do not share these views and are backers of peace plans such as the Geneva Accords which are compatible with the Roadmap to Peace backed by the Quartet.

Interesting perspectives:
1. Israel did not crack down on its terrorists until it had statehood.
2. Moshe Dyan, the great Israeli general, said the 1967 land grab was not required and that the land should be given back to the Palestinians for peace. -- What a concept!