Many of our friends in Europe and the Arab world would have us believe that Hamas is a modern, respectable party. That they won their landslide victory in the Palestinian elections last January due to their plans to fight corruption and improve health care and education. Our friends continue to say that they are the legally elected governing party of the Palestinians and that the United States and Israel are monsters for not throwing billions of dollars at them.
But does a respectable government really stand by a charter that calls for the annihilation of its neighbor and believes that the killing of every single Jew is a step towards salvation and a commandment from their God? Does a modern party see itself as part of a holy war against the West to advance Judgment Day? Why should we be giving billions of dollars to an organization hell-bent on killing us?
Leaders of Hamas have repeatedly stated since winning the elections that they will not revise their charter, will not recognize Israel and will not honor past agreements made between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
The Hamas Charter shows Hamas as “one link in the chain of holy war in its confrontation with the Zionist invasion” and its “evil Christian” allies. It says that “there is no solution to the Palestinian problem except jihad. Regarding the international initiatives, suggestions and conferences, they are an empty waste of time and complete nonsense.” Hamas “strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine” and will continue to fight “until the [Zionist] enemy is vanquished and God’s victory is realized.”
The charter also cites Hadith, saying “The Day of Judgment will not come until Muslims fight the Jews and kill them and until the Jew hides behind the rocks and trees, and then the rocks and trees will say: ‘Oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him.” and claim it as fact that the Jews “were behind the First World War”, “were also behind the Second World War” and that “No war takes place anywhere in the world without the Jews behind the scenes having a hand in it.” It goes on to claim that “The Zionist plan has no limit; after Palestine the Zionists aspire to expand to the Nile and the Euphrates. Once they have devoured the region they arrive at, they will aspire to spread further and then on and on. Their plan is embodied in The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.”
Between 2001 and 2004, Hamas has claimed responsibility for some 80 terrorist attacks which have claimed the lives of over 450 Israelis and left almost 2500 others injured. The casualties range from infants to pregnant women to the elderly. Their targets have included kindergartens, hospitals, places of worship, public transportation, shopping malls, restaurants, clubs and many more. Hamas is an organization that glorifies suicide bombers and has no qualms about killing innocent civilians. As I reported earlier, they now also urge Muslims to attack American targets.
As far as I see it, Israel would be foolish to make any economic or political compromises to the Hamas government unless Hamas radically alters its charter, denounces terrorism, recognizes Israel and honors previous commitments. Since that is very unlikely to happen, I see no reason why Israel should honor those previous commitments either.
As for the Palestinian people. I feel for their plight, I really do. But electing Hamas into office didn’t change the belief many Israelis have that the Palestinians don’t really want peace. They made their bed, now they have to lie in it. The Palestinians are free to choose who they want as representatives. And we are equally free to choose who we give aid to. I understand that the American and Israeli sanctions have crippled the Palestinian economy, so maybe the Palestinians can urge Hamas to spend less money on bombs and rockets, and more money on food for their citizens. That, in my opinion, would be a huge step forward.
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