Just to start with - I find it ironic that George Bush has talked today about not accepting a political party or organisation in government 'with an armed wing' and 'a party with the political aim of overthrowing another country' when every year US Presidents have welcomed the leaders of Sinn Fein from Ireland - a political party with an armed wing (the IRA) and whose aim was the overthrow of the government of Northern Ireland - but of course the Irish American electorate is significant & I guess there aren't many Palestinian Americans.
Democracy is very tough. We can't pick and choose which democratic decision to accept.
It is also extremely unpredictable - so many people seem surprised by the extent of the hamas vistory - and yet (listening to the BBC - how neutral is that?) most of the voters they interviewed talke about extremely 'street level' matters - public services, inefficiency of government, corruption of officials. Mundane - and truly what politics should be about. The ruling party had lived off the back of the PLO and Yassa Arafat and failed their people at a basic level. And now - hamas has a terrible responsibility - they must deliver to the Palestinian people. Can they deliver some kind of peace as well - maybe it isn't in their hands.
The Muslim world needs to support the new government, economically and financially at least - the money that previously came from America & Europe may well dry up if hamas will not or cannot renounce violence (but frankly how can they do that when faced with oppression and economic ruin). That money needs to be spent on the provision of public services and a basic infrastructure.
I don't want to see the destruction of Israel, and lets face it Europeans bear the terrible burden of centuries of anti-semitism and the holocaust can never be forgiven, but this cannot excuse some Israeli politicians seemingly wanting to eradicate the Palestinian people as well. I'm sure life would be easier if all the Palestinians just disappeared or accepted a subservient role within Israel - but this isn't going to happen.
Will hamas be pragmatic enough to see that the survival of Palestine requires accomodation, and a tacit acceptance that some good will exists with Israel towards the notion of parallel development of two states?
Time will tell, and those who believe in some kind of divine authority need to be praying very hard right now. The rest of us will keep our fingers crossed.
PS Came across Harold Pinter's Nobel Prize Acceptance speech on another blog. Worth reading at http://www.thenation.com/doc/20051226/pinter
4 comments:
Desperate times, desperate measures, isn't that how it always goes? Of course, condoning violence is wrong, but so is failing to recognize why it errupts. It is hard to imagine how any group of people that have survived an attempt at the so called ethnic cleansing, could then turn and do the same to another race.
I would like to hope so many things will be different because Hamas is in the "legal area" after now.
However Bush said they would not deal with Hamas-led government unless the party recognised Israel's right to exist. I don't think Hamas will accept this precondition!
I think Hamas' victory will be an excuse for military invasion! USA can start military operations with the help of Israel! So sad...
Love the Adsense ad that appears beside your post today... "Cheap Flights to Israel".
As well as that, I thought I'd let you know your comment in my blog confirmed my paranoia... 30 seconds after I posted, a comment appears from (you) someone from the government!
Good point about Sinn Fein. Unfortunately our President has never been very strong on consistency -- or intelligence, either.
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