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Palestinians and Israelis: Peace Is A Matter Of Mentality

Manuela Paraipan - 10/8/2005

US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice called Hamas to disarm if interested to play a significant political role on the Palestinian political stage. "Hamas, stands for a one-state solution, not a two-state solution. Hamas, therefore stands for the destruction of Israel. Hamas is an organization that asks Palestinian mothers and fathers to give their children up to make themselves suicide bombers. And it is a real detriment and block to further peace in the Middle East."

The Secretary-General Kofi Annan, together with the ministers of European Union, United States and Russia said in a joint statement that, "Ultimately, those who want to be part of the political process should not engage in armed group or militia activities, for there is a fundamental contradiction between such activities and the building of a democratic state."
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On the other hand, a Senior Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal believes that both political and military means should be used against Israel. "As long as our land is occupied it is the right of the Palestinian people and their factions to combine resistance and political activities. Resistance and its arms are directed against the occupation while political activity is part of re-arranging the Palestinian home."

Under the road map agreement, the Palestinian Authority has the responsibility of disarming militias and armed resistances, but so far they have failed reaching a common ground with Hamas, Al Aqsa Brigades and Islamic Jihad, let alone to take their weapons.

Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said that Hamas should not be allowed to participate in Palestinian elections until it is disarmed. Prime Minister Sharon went further to say that Israel will do whatever it can to boycott the Palestinian elections, if President Abbas will allow Hamas participation in the elections, without some entry requirements, such as giving up their weapons. This issue has also been discussed in Europe, but no decisions had being taken, yet.

Besides acting as a military organization in parallel with the Palestinian state rather weak military and police forces, Hamas charter denies Israel's right to exist and there was no official position of the movement stating differently. Moreover, their long-term aims suggest that what they want is the whole land of Israel, not only that of the '67 borders. And, regardless of their
propaganda, it is relevant what they do, not what they say.

Hamas has a strong support in the territories, not only because of its extremist ideology, but also because it stands firm against corruption and the movement leaders are perceived as honorable, honest individuals, unlike the Fatah ledears. As Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas seems to be convinced that once it will give up its arms their glory will be over, and that's the point they may be wrong about. While hate and the desire of revenge is definitely at a high level among the Palestinian people, from a humane point of view it is hard to believe that they are savages who prefer to keep on sending their children to die in a useless fight, instead of rebuilding their state's institutions and eventually turn into a coherent, civilized, progressive and responsible nation. But, with a ideology of violence and terror in place, the Palestinians will never be able to exist as a nation no matter how much money or support from EU or US they will get.

It is the mentality that needs to be challenged and changed, first and foremost. If a class of moderates who oppose the violence of movements such as Hamas will rise in the territories, this could only weaken and push them underground. Welcoming the withdrawal from Gaza of the Israeli troops, Hamas could have done itself a big favor by cleaning up Gaza and taking steps to organize the community. The last thing the Palestinians need is an ongoing-armed conflict.

But, no matter what Israel does, it always gets accused of acting in the detriment of the Palestinian people. If Israel targets Hamas leaders and responds to their missiles, then the world says that Israel is actually increasing the violence. If they do not fight Hamas then they put in jeopardy their own people.

It is significant that Abu Mazen, the President of the Palestinian Authority, a man who denies the Holocaust is considered as a moderate among the Palestinians. With such neighbors, it is at least difficult to correctly react or interact, be it Fatah, Hamas or any other Palestinian movement. It is disturbing that precisely this image the rest of the world do not know, ignore or tend to forget.