A HEAVY BURDEN ON ISRAEL
So the Palestinian election has been held, and yes, the results caught most people off guard. Life continues as usual in Israel and a lot of questions and more than plenty of analyses are being offered yp to explain what happened on January 25th. There have been a few "fisty-cuffs" that the world media makes look like civil war. So beware when you read or listen to what is being said about events in Israel.
The article below is well worth the reading.....
By Nazir Majali
There is no doubt that the surprising Hamas victory in the Palestinian Authority elections has created a new reality in the region, which also has international implications. Everyone who has anything to do with the conflict, and every country that is concerned with matters of Islamization, will have to examine what has happened -especially Israel.
Israel will be the crucial factor in determining the international attitude, and even the attitude of the Arab world, with respect to this new development. Everyone will be waiting for Israel's reaction with bated breath. Any mistake it makes in the analysis of the situation and the response it necessitates will determine the nature of the others' reaction.
Ostensibly, it is possible that this situation will afford Israel a strong position of power. But the truth is that a heavy burden of responsibility has now fallen on Israel's shoulders, not only one of regional dimensions but also on an international scale. It must not flee from this responsibility. On the contrary: The way Israel deals with this new development will be the first real test of Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government. Here, relying on "what Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would have done" will be to no avail, nor will a return to the old policy of Israeli governments. And it will not be right to be dependent on fears of the reaction from the Israeli right on the eve of the elections. Here the outcome of the Palestinian elections necessitates good judgment, strategic vision and the taking of wise steps, which above all demands learning the lessons of the past.
The first thing with which no mistake must be made is non-acceptance of the results of the elections and all that this implies. The very fact of the Palestinians' success in conducting orderly elections, different from all the elections that have ever been held in the Arab states and in the Third World - even though the Palestinians do not yet have a state - is a positive step in the right direction. And the ruling Palestinian party, i.e., Fatah, must be encouraged to accept the results and hand over the mantle of government to Hamas, which won. The countries of the Western world, in this case headed by Israel, are the ones who must give an example of accepting the Palestinians' democratic decision. They wanted these elections. They even pressed for them to be held. And they must prove that they see democracy as a supreme value.
It is, of course, necessary and even essential to examine what has happened. And everyone must do this. This is true first of all of Fatah and Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) personally. It is equally true for Israel and the Americans. Many mistakes were made before the Palestinians voted the way they did. And not only as a result of the government corruption, the poverty and the loss of hope among the Palestinian public. It is worthwhile to examine, for example, who established Hamas and who encouraged it, and why those who did this have not been called to account for it. And it is worthwhile to ask whether the strategy of "getting rid of (Yasser) Arafat" was correct and did not make a crucial contribution to the situation today. And a great many other equally important questions must be addressed to all the sides, and especially the Palestinian side. Perhaps this will occur later and not now.
It would be a grave mistake if it is decided in Israel or the West to punish the Palestinian people for electing Hamas. The threats to stop financial aid and to confront the Palestinian people with its mistake will only lead to the opposite result. Let the Palestinians decide for themselves what is good and what is bad for them. This is the nature of democracy.
The writer analyzes Israeli issues for the Arabic media.
The article below is well worth the reading.....
By Nazir Majali
There is no doubt that the surprising Hamas victory in the Palestinian Authority elections has created a new reality in the region, which also has international implications. Everyone who has anything to do with the conflict, and every country that is concerned with matters of Islamization, will have to examine what has happened -especially Israel.
Israel will be the crucial factor in determining the international attitude, and even the attitude of the Arab world, with respect to this new development. Everyone will be waiting for Israel's reaction with bated breath. Any mistake it makes in the analysis of the situation and the response it necessitates will determine the nature of the others' reaction.
Ostensibly, it is possible that this situation will afford Israel a strong position of power. But the truth is that a heavy burden of responsibility has now fallen on Israel's shoulders, not only one of regional dimensions but also on an international scale. It must not flee from this responsibility. On the contrary: The way Israel deals with this new development will be the first real test of Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government. Here, relying on "what Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would have done" will be to no avail, nor will a return to the old policy of Israeli governments. And it will not be right to be dependent on fears of the reaction from the Israeli right on the eve of the elections. Here the outcome of the Palestinian elections necessitates good judgment, strategic vision and the taking of wise steps, which above all demands learning the lessons of the past.
The first thing with which no mistake must be made is non-acceptance of the results of the elections and all that this implies. The very fact of the Palestinians' success in conducting orderly elections, different from all the elections that have ever been held in the Arab states and in the Third World - even though the Palestinians do not yet have a state - is a positive step in the right direction. And the ruling Palestinian party, i.e., Fatah, must be encouraged to accept the results and hand over the mantle of government to Hamas, which won. The countries of the Western world, in this case headed by Israel, are the ones who must give an example of accepting the Palestinians' democratic decision. They wanted these elections. They even pressed for them to be held. And they must prove that they see democracy as a supreme value.
It is, of course, necessary and even essential to examine what has happened. And everyone must do this. This is true first of all of Fatah and Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) personally. It is equally true for Israel and the Americans. Many mistakes were made before the Palestinians voted the way they did. And not only as a result of the government corruption, the poverty and the loss of hope among the Palestinian public. It is worthwhile to examine, for example, who established Hamas and who encouraged it, and why those who did this have not been called to account for it. And it is worthwhile to ask whether the strategy of "getting rid of (Yasser) Arafat" was correct and did not make a crucial contribution to the situation today. And a great many other equally important questions must be addressed to all the sides, and especially the Palestinian side. Perhaps this will occur later and not now.
It would be a grave mistake if it is decided in Israel or the West to punish the Palestinian people for electing Hamas. The threats to stop financial aid and to confront the Palestinian people with its mistake will only lead to the opposite result. Let the Palestinians decide for themselves what is good and what is bad for them. This is the nature of democracy.
The writer analyzes Israeli issues for the Arabic media.
posted by Philip | 4:19 p.m.
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