The spokesmen for Hamas, who naturally have been having a golden opportunity to present their case, claim that Hamas is not the problem. It is Israel, they say, that is the problem. For that country has conquered by force of arms their land, is occupying it in an extremely cruel and oppressive manner, has constructed endless new and giant settlements, has built an apartheid wall and would like to ease the Palestinians out of East Jerusalem. Israel has the fighter-bombers and the tanks; Hamas has only the bodies of its fighters. However, from the perspective of the Western democracies for the moment Hamas is the problem and there is great alarm, confusion and uncertainty as to how to handle it.
Hamas has sent into Jerusalem and Tel Aviv 50 suicide bombers and killed 430 people — almost all civilians. Across the globe people find such slaughter completely unacceptable; particularly so when almost all respected Islamic soldiers make it clear such behavior is un-Islamic. That the behavior of the Israeli Army has been regularly criticized by the United Nations and international observers is not the current issue, and nor is it a valid excuse.
Hamas has been talking recently of destroying Israel’s occupation, rather than destroying Israel. But the call for Israel to be obliterated remains in the Hamas charter. In Britain or France or Canada there are genuine problems involved in using taxpayers’ money to fund an administration, whose elected members are committed to obliterating a fellow member of the United Nations. As a matter of principle, every member of the United Nations is normally in favor of the membership of every other member (suspension is a slightly different matter). New members are welcomed; old members are not cast out.
It was said of the 1920 election victory of President Harding in America that “It wasn’t a landslide, it was an earthquake”. The same can be said of Hamas’ remarkable triumph on Jan. 25. Polls had suggested only that it would do well, and early exit polls predicted a Fatah win. I maintain Hamas won 76 seats compared to Fatah’s 43 in the Legislative Council, because the voters were determined to get rid of a grossly corrupt and failed administration. It does not represent total support for suicide bombers and the introduction of Islamic law and bans on Western clothing and dancing. I suspect as well that Hamas’ grassroots social care, which they have created and run so efficiently, was a major factor. We have heard very little in Europe of these social programs, and that partly explains why Hamas has had such a bad press for so long.
On Jan. 30 a most important and high-level meeting took place in London to discuss Hamas’ unexpected victory. Senior representatives from the European Union, the United Nations, America and Russia — who together comprise the Quartet diplomatic group — failed to find common ground. In my opinion the EU got it just right. In their statement the EU foreign ministers made it clear they expect the new Legislative Council to back the setting up of a new administration “committed to a peaceful and negotiated solution of the conflict” with Israel. The statement continued:” On this basis the EU stands ready to continue to support Palestinian economic development and democratic state-building. At this stage they were waiting for the new Palestine Authority to be constituted. They avoided setting a deadline for compliance and the transition period could last up to three months. Very sensibly, they have achieved a measure of flexibility and will be able to respond to quickly unfolding events.
The Americans decided on a different approach. In the words of President George Bush:” The Hamas party has made it clear that they do not support the right of Israel (to exist). And I have made it clear that so long as that’s their policy that we will not support a Palestinian government made up of Hamas.”The Israelis took a similar line, and have refused to pay the Palestinians sums from customs and VAT returns that are owed to them.
Realizing that salaries are due to be paid — to the police for a start — that fuel could run out, and before long there will be serious shortages, especially in overcrowded Gaza, the United States urged Arab states to continue funding a Hamas-controlled authority. To my mind this highlights the difficulties the Americans have got themselves in. The reality now is that oil-rich Iran, and possibly Syria, and private donors perhaps linked to religious extremists, will increase their financial support and gain further influence over the Palestinians. This will not be welcome news to either the Americans or the Israelis. Meanwhile Gaza is on the brink of chaos.
