WHY ISRAEL MUST NEGOTIATE WITH HAMAS
THE RISE OF HAMAS
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The victory of the Hamas in the elections to the Palestinian Assembly has sent shock waves through the Western capitals. Of the Quartet only Russia has been pragmatic enough to invite the Hamas leadership. Since the government of Israel is unlikely to allow the leaders in Palestine to travel, the leadership currently based in Syria will meet Putin and the members of the Russian government. What does the victory of Hamas portend for the peace process envisaged by the two state solution firmed up in the road map. An answer to this question is of vital purchase for the understanding of near east politics and trends.
Hamas is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement) and the acronym means also enthusiasm in Arabic. It was founded in 1987 on the eve of the first Intifada. The intellectual roots of this organization go deep into the Muslim Brotherhood, the oldest political organization in the Near East. Right from the very beginning Hamas eschewed politics of the traditional Palestinian variety exemplified in the Al Fattah of Arafat. It regarded Arafat and his crew as being too secular, too corrupt and after the signing of the Oslo Accord too cosy with Israel. Very few would know that Hamas was an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of the Jordan King Hussein 's brutal crackdown on the PLO run refugee camps in the kingdom in the later 1970s. Unlike Arafat and his faction Al Fatah within the PLO, the Hamas has never recognised Israel. The regime of Ariel Sharon did everything in its power to undermine the leadership of Arafat.
The prestige of Yasser Arafat was deeply dented when the Israeli government in wanton disregard to the canons of international law bombed the headquarters of Arafat and forced him to live the rest of his life in a hole ten feet under the ground. He was forbidden to travel and with the threat of Israeli state sponsored assassination hanging over his head, Yasser Arrafat was essentially rendered irrelevant to the political sphere.
It is this vacuum that Hamas fills. By rendering the Palestenian moderates irrevelent to the politcs of Palestine, by humiliating the leadership and by practicing state sponsored terrorism against target in Gaza and the West Bank Israel paved the way for the rise of Hamas.
It is likely that the Hamas leadership will have to moderate its views in conformity with power. However Israel will have a tough act to follow.
Hamas is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement) and the acronym means also enthusiasm in Arabic. It was founded in 1987 on the eve of the first Intifada. The intellectual roots of this organization go deep into the Muslim Brotherhood, the oldest political organization in the Near East. Right from the very beginning Hamas eschewed politics of the traditional Palestinian variety exemplified in the Al Fattah of Arafat. It regarded Arafat and his crew as being too secular, too corrupt and after the signing of the Oslo Accord too cosy with Israel. Very few would know that Hamas was an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of the Jordan King Hussein 's brutal crackdown on the PLO run refugee camps in the kingdom in the later 1970s. Unlike Arafat and his faction Al Fatah within the PLO, the Hamas has never recognised Israel. The regime of Ariel Sharon did everything in its power to undermine the leadership of Arafat.
The prestige of Yasser Arafat was deeply dented when the Israeli government in wanton disregard to the canons of international law bombed the headquarters of Arafat and forced him to live the rest of his life in a hole ten feet under the ground. He was forbidden to travel and with the threat of Israeli state sponsored assassination hanging over his head, Yasser Arrafat was essentially rendered irrelevant to the political sphere.
It is this vacuum that Hamas fills. By rendering the Palestenian moderates irrevelent to the politcs of Palestine, by humiliating the leadership and by practicing state sponsored terrorism against target in Gaza and the West Bank Israel paved the way for the rise of Hamas.
It is likely that the Hamas leadership will have to moderate its views in conformity with power. However Israel will have a tough act to follow.
