Hamas' Implicit Recognition of Israel: A Historic Step Arab News

Hamas' Implicit Recognition of Israel: A Historic Step

Arab News, 28 June 2006

Hamas' implicit recognition of Israel is a historic step. It should lead to a restoration of Palestine’s relations with the international community; it should also result in the end of economic and political sanctions imposed because of the claim that Hamas is a terrorist organization committed to the destruction of Israel.

Unfortunately the timing of this profound change by Palestine’s Hamas government could not have been worse. Yesterday, after weeks of negotiations between Premier Ismail Haniyeh and President Mahmoud Abbas, the formation of a unity administration was agreed. Led by Hamas, it will include Fateh and other opposition politicians and at its heart is a manifesto which seeks a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. By signing the document, Hamas is effectively abandoning its refusal to recognize Israel and so has opened the way for the two-state solution.

Normally such a major breakthrough would be sending international politicians scurrying back and forth as they endeavored to capitalize on it and restart the stalled peace process. As it is, last night what international talking there was focused exclusively on trying to head off massive Israeli reprisals for the capture and detention of one of its soldiers in the Gaza Strip. Many Palestinians of course view this action as a legitimate part of the armed struggle. Israel, however, has been able to finesse the incident into what it claims to be yet another example of Hamas-led terrorism. It demands further massive reprisals.

Whatever the human tragedy that may unfold from the unleashing of Israel’s overwhelming firepower, is there a political tragedy in the making as well? Israeli hard-liners will claim that the emergence of the Hamas concession has only been prompted by the threat of attack and that they plan to withdraw from the agreement whether Israel compromises over the release of Palestinian women and children or goes ahead with its assault. Indeed if any Israeli attack were sufficiently brutal, Hamas might find itself politically incapable of sticking to its change of policy, however serious its motives. So much new anger and despair would be produced by fresh humiliations and bloodletting that the Palestinian voters, who elected a Hamas government on a no-recognition ticket, would demand that it keep its political promises.

Of course, the last thing that hard-line Israelis want is a Palestinian government with whom they have to engage in serious negotiations. It may also be wondered why, last Sunday, militants were able to assault an Israeli tank and seize the teenaged Israel soldier after killing two of his comrades. Why did the normally ruthless Israeli commanders make what appears to have been a basic tactical error? Equally, why did Hamas militants launch the attack and seize the soldier on the very eve of reaching this potentially historic agreement with Fateh? Hard-liners on both sides can only be pleased by this fresh confrontation which threatens, once again, to rob the political process of what little momentum still remains in it.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

Apartheid Wall


The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03).

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