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| Author: | Mohamad Bazzi, Edward R. Murrow Press Fellow 2007-2008 |
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June 4, 2008
Chicago Tribune
In the debate over who is more likely to “appease” Hamas—Barack Obama or John McCain—we are ignoring a more important question: Why shouldn’t the United States engage with the Palestinian militant group, which rules Gaza?
It will not be easy. There will be false starts and conflicting messages from Hamas leaders. But whether Americans like it or not, Hamas represents a significant part of the Palestinian population. No viable settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is possible without its involvement.
Hamas is not an entirely cohesive organization: There is a political wing living in exile, a political wing inside the Palestinian territories and a military wing. Each wing represents a different trend within Hamas and much of the power rests with the exiled leaders, who tend to be the most hard-line.
Once it achieved political power by winning the Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, Hamas needed to make compromises and play politics. It has not yet reached that stage.
One reason is that Hamas’ foreign protectors—Syria and Iran—encourage its exiled leaders to maintain their hard-line stance. Hamas sometimes takes actions that are more geared to the interests of Syria and Iran, and less to the needs of its Palestinian constituency. The West also bears some blame for this trend. By keeping Hamas isolated, the U.S. and Europe are helping its external leaders dominate the group, at the expense of leaders inside the Palestinian territories.
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