Back to square one

In relation to the Hamas election victory, everyone is scrambling trying
to decide what to do. Why do we have to do anything right now?
First of all, it is predictable that the Palestinians, inexperienced in the
practice of democracy, will fight each other for the spoils and power.
Just as in Iraq, where the insurgency is mainly a manifestation of the
Sunnis fear of losing control, it is likely that Fatah and Hamas will
engage in an internecine struggle (or internal intifada). Let them!
Having withdrawn from Gaza and shown our intentions of accepting a
two state solution, we need not carry out any further unilateral withdrawals.
Prudence in the face of Hamas hostility dictates that we not give up any more
territory that PA or Hamas forces could occupy and use to our detriment.
Thus, Kadima under Ehud Olmert should change the former Sharon policy
and not act precipitously and unilaterally in an unstable and hostile
situation. The forced evictions from Armona and Hebron should have been
delayed at least for political reasons.
We should definitely not supply the PA with any tax funds, as the Government
has decided, especially since the US, EU, UN (the Quartet) will not support a
Hamas-led PA. Our economy and our resilience are equal to the test of a
struggle with Hamas. Also, should an outright war situation develop, we should
finally do what we should have done long ago, that is stop supplying our enemy
who wants to destroy us with the water, electricity and food with which to do
it. Let us rather destroy them, and let them see if their friends in Iran and
Syria can help them instead of us. By what law is it written that Jews must
be so ethical as to aid our implacable enemies.
Remember when the question was whether or not Israel should deal with the
PLO, because the PLO denied Israel's right to exist. Eventually, when Arafat
was allowed to return to Gaza, under the terms of the Oslo Accords he
finessed that problem by getting the PLC to pass a resolution saying that at
some time in the future they would modify certain clauses in their Charter.
Since this satisfied the Americans, Israel had no choice but to continue
negotiations with the PLO. Now we are back to square one with Hamas,
the Islamic Resistance Movement, that was never a part of the PLO and in
fact came into existence as an Islamic alternative to them. Because they are
a religious-based movement, their Charter is even more hard line than that of
the PLO.
So Israel is back to square one, dealing with an extreme Palestinian
organization, that now has electoral legitimacy in the PA. Hamas represents
the majority will of the Palestinian people, and is committed to the
destruction of Israel and the murder of all Jews. If you don't believe it
read their Charter, their press releases and look at their actions, they have
been responsible for the majority of Israelis killed by suicide bombings.
Their leader A-Zahar said in an interview with Wolf Blitzer that he would not
recognize Israel, but that he could deal with Israel if it first withdrew from
all occupied territory so that they could set up their Islamic Palestinian
State. I say to all those liberals who have wanted peace at any price, that
the price that Hamas is asking, the suicide of Israel and the Jewish people,
is too high a price to pay.
Also, note that the PA is totally insolvent, it cannot comprise a State. It
currently receives b$1 pa in aid from the international community (ca. m$500
from the US and m$300 from the EU, as well as money given via UNWRA).
In the past this money has largely been stolen and squandered, so that the
Palestinian people are as badly off now as they ever have been, and they have
made no efforts to help themselves. They receive per capita far more than any
other "refugee" group in the world, but in fact they are no longer refugees.
And what does the US and the international community get for its largesse, total
rejection, and the choice by the Palestinian people of the most extreme
Islamic anti-Western force in the world. I say stop all aid, it's not only a
total waste, but it is going to support an organization that is working
against the interests of those countries that are paying for them.
Those that seek a two-state solution to the conflict are deluding themselves
if they think that a PA-dominated by Hamas can fit into that solution. Hamas
seeks only a one-state solution, namely an Islamic Palestine with sharia law,
and the destruction of the Jewish State.