The Tangled Course to Middle East Peace - Crisis and not Conflict

Negotiations are predicted to enable Israel to maintain most of its gains since its establishment and legitimize its seizure of lands and displacement of Palestinians. Before anything else is debated, the essential matters that provoked the crisis (land seizures, oppression, and settlements) must first be ended, so they are no longer confronted.

An Interim Government
Isn't a functioning Palestinian Authority or interim government a preliminary requirement to a resolution of the crisis? Can that government be formed without Hamas having a crucial role?

The democratically elected Hamas has a large constituency that demands return of lands they believe unfairly taken from them. For this reason, Hamas cannot be expected to recognize Israel. Recognition puts Hamas out of existence and certifies Israel has behaved properly. Why would an aggrieved people be willing to do that?

Hamas' belligerence and recalcitrance doesn't mean Hamas intends to translate words into aggression. It can't start a fight without being clobbered and its only hope is that the world recognizes its claims and takes appropriate action. The often cited and exclamatory 1988 Hamas charter is an antiquated document. Many observers have mentioned that it "has ceased to play a significant role in the group's ideology. As early as 1990, Hamas began to distance itself from the document, which has since fallen into neglect."

Hamas is accused of wanting to destroy Israel, but Israel has done everything to destroy Hamas, and Fatah, who incorporated a "destroy Israel' theme in its previous charter, is never charged with similar words:

Article 2: Palestine, with the boundaries it had during the British Mandate, is an indivisible territorial unit.

Article 3: The Palestinian Arab people possess the legal right to their homeland and have the right to determine their destiny after achieving the liberation of their country in accordance with their wishes and entirely of their own accord and will.

Fatah has a new charter and commentators are beginning to recognize the new Hamas:

"In 2006, Hamas began to evolve from a dogmatic organization located outside the political system into a functioning opposition party within the Palestinian body politic. This shift was followed by a transformation from a radical opposition party into the majority party of the Palestinian territories and, after the 2006 elections, the de facto governing party of Gaza. In a surprisingly short time, Hamas has largely abandoned religious rhetoric and calls for the violent liberation of Palestine, in favor of the increasingly secular and pragmatic task of state building."
Hamas 2.0 The Islamic Movement Grows Up by Michawl Broning, Aug. 5, 2009. Foreign Affairs

In recent weeks, some Hamas actions have validated Michawl Broning's opinion. Take these for what they are worth

After an extreme group called the Warriors of God established themselves in a mosque in Rafah and accused Hamas of being "impure and collaborationist," Hamas forces captured the mosque and either killed or arrested all Warriors of God personnel.

Hamas' Interior Ministry monitors mosques and lectures against Muslim extremism.

Dress requirements have been defined as "individual acts." The Hamas government states it is against any orders for dress regulations, "since there is no need to impose the hijab in a conservative society."

A weak, corrupt and pliable Fatah suits Israel fine. Bringing Hamas out of the cold can do for Palestine what recognizing the legitimacy of Hezbollah did for Lebanon -- diminish corruption, gather coalitions and bring stability - other reasons why Israel attacks Hamas.

The Freeze