Responding to Hamas
Sharon's aide Dov Weissglass who only a year and half ago described the intent of the disengagement plan to put any peace process into "formaldehyde" has come up with another one of his "gems". This time he suggests that Israel's response to the Hamas election win is to put the Palestinians on a "diet" but not to "starve them".
The fact that such a crude analogy can be made about 2.5 million people is worrying. Is it not enough that Palestinians are living under occupation that they have to hit with more punitive actions simply because they democratically elected Hamas. Israel over the last few days has been pondering its response. Its response has been so far (with more to come) to confiscate tax revenues Israel collected on behalf of the PA and to prevent Gazan workers from entering Israel. These punishments in short are ridiculous and smack of electioneering more then anything else. With all due respects - what is the point of preventing Gazan workers from not entering Israel - is that really effecting Hamas or ordinary Palestinians? As for tax revenues, the problem is that the revenues is not Israels in the first place but money which is rightfully the PA's. The next month could be potentially a dangerous month as election day gets closer. Olmert want to maintain his centre and centre/right base and doesn't want to lose it to Bibi. Any sign of weakness on Olmerts part by not "punishing" the PA may lose him a few seats to Likud irrespective if the policy makes sense.
Israel is in a difficult bind. It can not negotiate with Hamas until they renouce violence and accept a two state solution to the conflict. At the same time on a day to day practical level, the PA relies on Israel's assistance. Should the PA collapse, Israel will be obligated under international law as belligerant occupiers to take care of all service in the territories. At the same time Abu Mazen is trying his best to consolidate and gain as much power as he can. He is attempting to take control of PA's foreign policy, its security services and other areas. Abu Mazen clearly accepts a two state solution which was plain to anyone to see watching the opening of the Ramallah parliament.
One hopes that in the next month as election days approaches cool heads will prevail. And enough of listening to security experts, terrorism experts and the like. For the last 5 years they've utterly stuffed things up with their talk of "victory" on a daily basis and now we have Hamas in power desite their talk of "victory". The Israeli/Palestinian conflcit is an authentic national political conflict, which requires a policy framework beyond the narrowmilitary framework that the defence ministry sees things through.
The fact that such a crude analogy can be made about 2.5 million people is worrying. Is it not enough that Palestinians are living under occupation that they have to hit with more punitive actions simply because they democratically elected Hamas. Israel over the last few days has been pondering its response. Its response has been so far (with more to come) to confiscate tax revenues Israel collected on behalf of the PA and to prevent Gazan workers from entering Israel. These punishments in short are ridiculous and smack of electioneering more then anything else. With all due respects - what is the point of preventing Gazan workers from not entering Israel - is that really effecting Hamas or ordinary Palestinians? As for tax revenues, the problem is that the revenues is not Israels in the first place but money which is rightfully the PA's. The next month could be potentially a dangerous month as election day gets closer. Olmert want to maintain his centre and centre/right base and doesn't want to lose it to Bibi. Any sign of weakness on Olmerts part by not "punishing" the PA may lose him a few seats to Likud irrespective if the policy makes sense.
Israel is in a difficult bind. It can not negotiate with Hamas until they renouce violence and accept a two state solution to the conflict. At the same time on a day to day practical level, the PA relies on Israel's assistance. Should the PA collapse, Israel will be obligated under international law as belligerant occupiers to take care of all service in the territories. At the same time Abu Mazen is trying his best to consolidate and gain as much power as he can. He is attempting to take control of PA's foreign policy, its security services and other areas. Abu Mazen clearly accepts a two state solution which was plain to anyone to see watching the opening of the Ramallah parliament.
One hopes that in the next month as election days approaches cool heads will prevail. And enough of listening to security experts, terrorism experts and the like. For the last 5 years they've utterly stuffed things up with their talk of "victory" on a daily basis and now we have Hamas in power desite their talk of "victory". The Israeli/Palestinian conflcit is an authentic national political conflict, which requires a policy framework beyond the narrowmilitary framework that the defence ministry sees things through.
posted by SJ at 3:23 AM
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