Hamas should recognise Israel
Nov 16, 2006
The governing Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas this week said a proposed unity government would not recognise Israel or accept a two-state solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict.
The governing Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas this week said a proposed unity government would not recognise Israel or accept a two-state solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict.
This came only a day after Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he was ready for talks if Hamas accepted the conditions set by the quartet (EU, Russia, UN and US).
The quartet continues to boycott Hamas-led government until it recognises Israel, past agreements and renounces violence.
The ideology to “wipe Israel out of the map†accounts for the bloodshed in the region.
Yet it is clearly untenable. Conventional wars, suicide bombings and shelling have not weakened Israel; they have only led to violent retaliatory attacks and more bloodshed.
While Palestine’s resistance since the 1967 war has been reduced to AK47-wielding and slogan-shouting militants on the streets, Israel has grown into a more sophiscated high-tech military power backed by other powers.
Therefore its destruction is impossible.
Hope for a win-win situation to the conflict came when the sworn enemies, represented by Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin, shook hands in 1993 after signing the Oslo Accords – witnessed by Bill Clinton.
This was historic; it transformed the PLO from a guerrilla group into a quasi-state government, the Palestine Authority (PA); established that Israel would withdraw from the Gaza Strip and Jericho, and later from areas of the West Bank.
The PLO also agreed to recognise the right of the State of Israel to exist in peace and security. Consequently, Palestine has a Legislative Council and a President.
Both sides should revive the Oslo process and move into final status talks. This requires Palestinian groups to accept that two states of Israel and Palestine can exist side-by-side.
Similarly, Israel should relinquish all occupied territories, halt Jewish settlements, avoid unilateral actions and accept all UN resolutions.
If Hamas continues to reject the quartet conditions, not even a new Prime Minister will bring in the much-needed cash to alleviate the suffering of ordinary Palestinians, or realise the dream of a Palestine state.
This came only a day after Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he was ready for talks if Hamas accepted the conditions set by the quartet (EU, Russia, UN and US).
The quartet continues to boycott Hamas-led government until it recognises Israel, past agreements and renounces violence.
The ideology to “wipe Israel out of the map†accounts for the bloodshed in the region.
Yet it is clearly untenable. Conventional wars, suicide bombings and shelling have not weakened Israel; they have only led to violent retaliatory attacks and more bloodshed.
While Palestine’s resistance since the 1967 war has been reduced to AK47-wielding and slogan-shouting militants on the streets, Israel has grown into a more sophiscated high-tech military power backed by other powers.
Therefore its destruction is impossible.
Hope for a win-win situation to the conflict came when the sworn enemies, represented by Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin, shook hands in 1993 after signing the Oslo Accords – witnessed by Bill Clinton.
This was historic; it transformed the PLO from a guerrilla group into a quasi-state government, the Palestine Authority (PA); established that Israel would withdraw from the Gaza Strip and Jericho, and later from areas of the West Bank.
The PLO also agreed to recognise the right of the State of Israel to exist in peace and security. Consequently, Palestine has a Legislative Council and a President.
Both sides should revive the Oslo process and move into final status talks. This requires Palestinian groups to accept that two states of Israel and Palestine can exist side-by-side.
Similarly, Israel should relinquish all occupied territories, halt Jewish settlements, avoid unilateral actions and accept all UN resolutions.
If Hamas continues to reject the quartet conditions, not even a new Prime Minister will bring in the much-needed cash to alleviate the suffering of ordinary Palestinians, or realise the dream of a Palestine state.