Israel needs to listen to Hamas, and take notice (Ha'aretz editorial)

[Violet_Crumble]

Against the backdrop of the belligerent declarations by the IDF chief of staff, who is threatening that "Israel will have no choice other than another broad operation in Gaza," it's hard to understand the silence that followed Khaled Meshal's historic statements. The Hamas leader declared this week that his movement is switching over from the armed struggle to a popular struggle, and that its agreement with Fatah includes the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, without renouncing the right of return.

A popular uprising, according to Meshal, means demonstrations and civil revolt without the use of arms. This doesn't include recognition of Israel or abandonment of the option of an armed struggle, which remains "a right of the Palestinian people" - but after the establishment of a state.

According to Meshal, a rational reading of reality, including the situation in Syria and the achievements of the popular revolutions, led the organization to reassess its path, to sign the reconciliation deal with Fatah and change the struggle's strategy. These are remarkable statements that highlight the extent that political events can bring about strategic turnarounds, even ideological ones.

But instead of encouraging Hamas' new direction, expressing the hope that it will turn into a legitimate political party and supporting the establishment of a Palestinian unity government, Israel offered its routine response - silence and apathy toward the declarations and a threat of a military operation.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/israel-needs-to-listen-to-hamas-and-take-notice-1.404256

[pelsar]

1. does haartez think were stupid?

it's hard to understand the silence that followed Khaled Meshal's historic statements.

most of israelis that i know are listening to the sound of kassams, mortars and other attacks from gaza....when those attempts to kill us stop, then we might sit up and notice.

In the meantime Meshals words are drowned out by the kassam that fell this morning in Southern israel.

[bemildred]

2. I think it's more Haaretz thinks you don't listen. nt

[shira]

3. Israelis aren't the target of this Haaretz article. Western diplomats...

...and journalists are.

It is they who are supposed to be suckered into believing Hamas is becoming more moderate so that Israel can be pressured more to come to terms with them.

Here's the Hamas boss in Gaza just a couple weeks ago saying in no uncertain terms that Hamas has not changed a bit...

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Haaretz is not concerned with what Israelis think. Their audience - especially the english online version of Haaretz - is for those outside of Israel. Haaretz already knows the vast majority of Israelis do not take much of their advocacy based journalism seriously.

[jimmie]

4. Oh c'mon....

your just trying to make hamas look bad.

[shira]

5. What's amazing is that so many Western activists, journalists, politicos...

Last edited Thu Dec 29, 2011, 04:02 PM - Edit history (1)

...are trying to portray Hamas as something other than an insanely antisemitic, homicidal organization of Jew hating and Jew murdering bigots.

Hamas will moderate themselves and act progressive anytime now....

Anytime...

They're going to stop hating and trying to murder Jews, that's right, anytime now...

[Ruby the Liberal]

6. Until they agree to recognize Israel, their "new direction"

is useless and a barrier to any sane solution.

[Scurrilous]

7. Palestinians talk peace, Israel talks war

Hamas seems to be moving in Mahmoud Abbas’ direction, while Israel points toward another “excellent” war in Gaza.

<snip>

"I can’t put it any better than Haaretz’s editorial did today:

(I)nstead of encouraging Hamas’s new direction, expressing the hope that it will turn into a legitimate political party and supporting the establishment of a Palestinian unity government, Israel offered its routine response – silence and apathy toward the declarations and a threat of a military operation.

Nobody in Israel pays attention to the Palestinians anymore. We’re all pre-occupied with domestic outrages, but the atrocities in Syria have Hamas looking for a new base of operations, and this seems to be having a moderating effect on the organization. Khaled Meshal sounds ready for a unity government with Fatah, and to that end he’s come out in favor of “popular resistance” over terrorism, and says he will support the establishment of a Palestinian state in pre-1967 borders alone.

I don’t know how significant a sign this is, but it’s definitely a good sign, and certainly not a bad or a meaningless one, either. It indicates that Hamas is moving in Abbas’ direction instead of the other way around – which is a big, happy surprise after the Gilad Schalit prisoner swap, which was Hamas’s triumph and Abbas’ (deliberate) humiliation.

I don’t believe Israel should negotiate with Hamas as a matter of principle, but nor do I think we should refuse as a matter of principle. If Hamas seems ready to make a deal, we should talk to them; if Hamas doesn’t seem ready, we shouldn’t. What’s happening now is a sign that Hamas may be getting ready, or at least that it will not stand in Abbas’ way. This, in my opinion, is good for the Jews, not to mention the Palestinians.

Unfortunately, the people who run this country think otherwise. Army chief Benny Gantz just gave an interview marking the third anniversary of the war in Gaza, saying it was an “excellent operation” and that “Israel will have no choice except another broad operation in Gaza.”

Excellent – just really, really outstanding. The Palestinians talk peace, we talk war. Happy New Year to you, too, Benny.

http://972mag.com/palestinians-talk-peace-israel-talks-war/31475/

[shira]

8. Wow, what another load of shit for an article...

The Palestinians are still firing rockets from Gaza into Israel (nearly 50 this month alone and almost 700 for the year) while Abbas requires 100 murderers to be freed before talks can begin.

Yet it's Israel talking "war".