Sharon Is Out And Hamas Is Still Out

'Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem', by Rembrandt ca. 1630, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Can Hamas be converted to a mainstream political party and undergo the same political evolution as Sinn Fein, Ireland's political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA)? Some seem to think so:

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will let Palestinians vote in Arab East Jerusalem in a January 25 Palestinian parliamentary election, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said on Tuesday.

Israel had been under U.S. heavy pressure to back down after threatening to block voting in East Jerusalem because it objects to the participation of Hamas, a militant group fielding candidates for parliament for the first time.

Mofaz told reporters that East Jerusalem Arabs would be able to cast their votes at five post offices in the eastern part of the city -- backing away from an earlier threat to bar participation on the ballot.

"These elections will take place in the format used in 1996 and the same applies for East Jerusalem," he said.

There was no immediate word from other members of the cabinet, where such decisions are expected to face intense debate with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon incapacitated following a massive stroke last week.

Hours later: "Olmert: East Arabs can vote in Jerusalem, but Hamas can't run"

Palestinians in East Jerusalem will be able to vote in the upcoming Palestinian Legislative Council elections on January 25, but Hamas candidates will not be able to run in the elections there, Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier Tuesday, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom (Likud) clashed over the issue of whether or not to permit Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem to vote in the elections.

Olmert told Rice that the cabinet would vote Sunday to authorize the participation of several hundred East Jerusalemites in the elections, as was done in the 1996 and 2005 votes, "once it is clear that terrorist groups and their representatives will not be able to take part in the elections in Jerusalem."
 

Well, that shoudn't come as a surprise. Ariel Sharon's position was made all too clear by his spokesman Raanan Gissin who said only a short while ago: "There is no reason whatsoever [that] we should assist a terrorist organization on the ballot to gain victory. This would be like letting a Trojan horse into our city. If Hamas gains victory, that would mean the end of the political (peace) process. It would also, I'd regrettably say, be the end of the Palestinian Authority as the sole sovereign power of the Palestinians."

A "Trojan horse"? Let's not forget, Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem see themselves as the citizens of a future Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, but as it is, they all happily carry Israeli identity cards.

Al Jazeera predicts Hamas would show strong gains: "Hamas's corruption-free reputation and extensive charity network mean its popularity is rising among Palestinians." It's hard not to be cynical, but 'extensive charity network', really. Translated, this should read, money and celebrations, complete with candy for all, in jubilant and joyous memory of yet another suicide bomber who has successfully accomplished another 'holy' mission, killing innocent Jewish civilians, children and all.

The political calculus for those in the West who support the inclusion of Hamas in the governing mainstream is that it may lay the foundation for a similar political evolution as experienced with the Sinn Fein organization, Ireland's political wing of the IRA.

The only problem with this scenario is that the conflict in Ireland is of an entirely different nature and make-up. The IRA's longtime goal has been to drive British forces from Northern Ireland and reunite the province with the predominantly Catholic Irish Republic. In contrast, Hamas' sole raison d'être is the destruction of the Israeli State. So, if the comparison is to have any credibility, the declared goal of the IRA and Sinn Fein ought to have been the destruction of Britain, no less.

Elaborate, yet petty attempts to blame the US of applying double standards when dealing with Sinn Fein's leader Gerry Adams and Palestinian groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad completely fail to highlight this significant difference.

"...one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. [...] The United States doesn't treat all terrorist groups alike - especially when domestic politics come into play.

"Since the Northern Ireland story has been relatively successful, and Sinn Fein has been central to that, it's been a good news story with which politicians have wanted to be associated," says Richard English, author of Armed Struggle: The history of the IRA.

"In contrast, the Jewish lobby has been more powerful in the U.S. than the Palestinians. And since the IRA has effectively stopped its violence, while the Palestinians have not, it's been easier to treat Irish Republican politicians in a more indulgent way than it has been to treat Palestinians."

"Jewish lobby has been more powerful". Really. Has the IRA ever threatened the US? Do we really have to remind Richard English of 9/11? Come on.

Daniel Byman, a terrorism expert at the Brookings Institution, said: "It was useful to have Sinn Fein on the political side of things because at times there are some groups you want to talk to and others you don't. There was a sense that not all terrorists are identical - that you could talk to the IRA as compared to Islamic Jihad, which is seen as a more vicious group." Now there you have the understatement of the day.

Mike Weiss @ Slate, one of my writing heros, quotes ATB, and has more to add providing many links:

"Iranian Nema Milaninia at Iranian Truth worries that the media attention will encourage Iran's government to pursue nukes more fervently and also wonders, "Am I the only one who thinks that a battle between Iran and the West over energy and technology smells too much like the nationalization of Iran's oil industry. … I do think that the EU and the US really need to start getting the support of non-Western powers in order to avoid this conflict from being viewed as a battle between Iran and the West."

Related ATB posts: The Myth Of Palestine, Has Israel Persuaded Washington?, The Jihad Apocalypse 'A Muslim Obligation', 'The Enemy Within', Can We Get Over It Already

Linked to Basil's Blog blogging picnic.

Comments

[Huan]

both the PLA and Hamas are undoubtedly terrorist organization. both also seek to represent the palestinians. the current environment is political, because their terrorism tactics, though gruesome and deadly, have failed strategically, and because of the approaching election. from this political perspective the PLA has been a failure as the diplomatic face of the palestinian people.
never said they were not barbaric. never said they espouse any workeable policy beyond violence. that is why both will fail as political entities unless they change, which i doubt they will.

[Guest]

Excellent post, Alexandra. I would add only that Hamas is also deeply anti-Semitic: they actually refer to that old anti-Semitic warhorse, the Czarist "Protocols of the Elders of Zion", in their founding charter. I haven't seen the IRA charging that the British are out to subvert the world, and that they use the blood of little non-Christian children in their religious ceremonies...
It is refreshing to find a blogger with the courage and moral honesty to call things by their proper names.

[sigmund, carl and alfred]

Good post.

In fact, the IRA is still regarded exactly for what it is- a terror organization. They just had the good sense toestablish Sinn Fein as the 'political wing' of the IRA, supposedly removed from the violent armed factions. That was a myth then as it is now. Jerry Adams himself has been implicated in crimes- allegations credible enough that neither Mr Bush or Ted Kennedy would meet with him.

Also, to be clear, the IRA's objecive was politcal. Hamas has and continues to spew hate and promise destruction and murder, predicated on religious identity. As they have made clear on many occasions, their objective is not only political, but also murderous. There are many quotes of the Hamas leadership calling for the slaughter of Jews and Christians.

The IRA had enough sense to distinguish their political expression from their manifestations of violence and terror.

Hamas can't be bothered.

[Huan]

the PLA is losing because they have failed to deliver what the "palestinians" want, prosperity and independence. The greatest blow came from Sharon's unilateralism. If Hamas were to win the majority, would they do better in providing prosperity and independence? Hardly. Thus while they may win political power and what we perceive as legitimacy, factors on the ground would say little would have changed. They still will not be able to produce prosperity and independence through violence. Thus unless they change and adapt, their time will too pass.