John Feffer: Let me be clear: I wouldnt vote for Hamas. And I would rather that the party clearly recognized the right of Israel to exist (just as I would prefer the Republican Party to recognize the right of gay marriage to exist). But my preferences are beside the point. Hamas represents a large constituency. Many Gazans voted for the party because they were disgusted with the corruption of the secular Fatah movement and were impressed with the social service system Hamas had created. Like other resistance movements—the African National Congress, the Irish Republican Army—Hamas was on its way toward becoming a political party. If such a party takes power only to behave undemocratically—as the Muslim Brotherhood arguably did in Egypt—thats a different question. But if you claim to respect democracy, you must recognize the results of free and fair elections. And if you want a party to change its position—and its willing to talk—you have to sit down at the table and negotiate with it. truth-out.org/opinion/item/25046-mowing-the-lawn-in-gaza
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 19:17:29 +0000
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