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Tag(s): Constitutional Movement; Democracy; Freedom Of Speech; Freedom Of The Press; Gaza; Hamas; Hamas; Hamas; International Criminal Court; International Law; (more...) Israel; Israel-Palestinian Conflict; Law; Non-Violence; Occupation; Peace; Sovereignty (less...)
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January 26, 2008 at 16:22:44

Letter to Hamas and the Valiant People of Gaza

by Gregory Wonderwheel (Posted by Gregory Wonderwheel) Page 1 of 4 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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Is it Time to Take an Alternate Route on the Roadmap to Peace?

January 25, 2008

Dear Gazans,

Peace be upon you.

This letter asks you to consider an alternative route on the road map to independent sovereignty and peace. This alternative road asks the people of Gaza to take independent action toward establishing for yourselves a constitutional democracy as a separate and sovereign nation.

Many people in the United States recognize, as I do, that you are suffering under an illegal and immoral occupation as few other people in the world have suffered. You have shown the world your valiant spirit of perseverance and determination in the face of the greatest odds arrayed against you. We have been told by people who have visited Palestine that this is a time of even greater moral trials and that no one would find you lacking in moral courage if you were presently dispirited by the seemingly unending abuse that you have had to bear.

Perhaps what those of us who support you most worry about is that the pressures of occupation and oppression will find expression in attacks among yourselves. This is the human condition of all imprisoned people who see no way out of their entrapment. The recent events of piercing the southern wall with Egypt was a welcome sign that you still have the courage and determination to break out of your confinement rather than to destroy yourselves with in-fighting. Now is also the time to break out of the mental confinement that prevents you from establishing your sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence.

I believe that now is the time for Hamas to lead the way toward an alternative future that accepts the present realities and at the same time shows the world the pride and resilience of your people. Now is the time for Hamas to lead Gazans to independence. While this might be called a “three-state solution,” such a condition may be only temporary until the West Bank can also assert its independence and reunification talks can begin. But for now, this present day, the time is ripe for you to create your own terms for independence.

There is no hope of a “one-state solution” that combines Israel with Gaza and the West Bank. Also in today’s reality, with the USA supporting Israel unconditionally, and with Israel making unjust demands as preconditions to a “two-state solution,” there is no practical hope for an agreement to be reached with Israel. Israel will not agree to any arrangement of a two-state solution in which they do not control the terms. Today the reality is that Israel has successfully divided Gaza and the West Bank politically and co-opted the political conditions of the West Bank.

Therefore, the only available alternative route on the road map to peace is for the people of Gaza, led by Hamas, to take their destiny in their own hands and set out on your own on the road to independent sovereignty. Do not wait for anyone to give you permission to do this. Such permission will not come, and indeed will not be deserved just because you ask for it. You must show the entire world by your concrete actions that you are committed to both peace and independence and the world will respond accordingly.

To achieve both peace and independence, you must show yourselves determined and capable of creating your own sovereignty. Based on democratic principles, show that the people are governed by law and not by the rule of individuals or juntas. The rule of law is best demonstrated by the creation and allegiance to a constitution, rather than to a person or party. If Hamas were to demonstrate that it is committed to creating a nation with democratic principles, it would secure the faith and loyalty of the Gazan people for generations.

The commitment and determination for a sovereign nation based on democratic principles must be based on a strict policy and determination for peace. This will be the greatest test of Hamas. It will mean a certain amount of determination not to strike back at Israel when Israel can be guaranteed to attempt to provoke violent response in order to undermine the credibility of Gazan independence. But, if on the one hand Gazans led by Hamas can show the world that they are committed to building an indigenous democratic governance, and on the other hand that they are determined to do it peacefully, then the world will come to the aid of Gaza when it previously has been reluctant to do so.

What do I mean when I say democracy? It is relatively simple. There are three dimensions to democracy and each dimension has two poles making six primary factors:

The Axis of Sovereignty: 1. The people are sovereign. 2. The people exercise their sovereignty by the rule of law not individuals, cliques, or juntas.

The Axis of Self-Rule: 3. The people govern by majority rule. 4 The majority rule is constitutionally limited by minority rights.

The Axis of Protection against Tyranny: 5. The governance system has a separation of powers so no one branch or group has all the power. 6. The governance system has checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power when a single branch becomes tyrannical.Along these three axes, the dimensions of democracy may be measured and plotted.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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5 comments

See http://deentech.com/MICV.aspx
Mohideen IbramshaSee http://deentech.com/MICV.aspx

The majority rule is not Islamic.

Muslims started the practice of Democracy when they selected the first Caliph Abu Bakr, Allah be pleased with him.

Muslims have to obey Allah SWT. When the Islamic code of life is silent on a problem, Muslims have to evolve consensus solution and proceed.

Majority rule is not part of Islam. We urge the Gazans to continue their reliance on Islam and seek the 'one state solution.' If we could remove the apartheid in South Africa, why could we not do so in Middle East?

by Mohideen Ibramsha (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 5:43:49 AM

Eric Roth teaches at the University of Southern California, favors scepticism over dogmatism, and worries about the state of the world. A former journalist and Congressional aide, he monitors political events with concern. Roth also directed the CES Adult Education Center for three years, and helped over 1,000 legal immigrants become naturalized U.S. citizens. He recently co-authored Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics. Visit his website www.compellingconversati...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Eric RothEric Roth teaches at the University of Southern California, favors scepticism over dogmatism, and worries about the state of the world. A former journalist and Congressional aide, he monitors political events with concern. Roth also directed the CES Adult Education Center for three years, and helped over 1,000 legal immigrants become naturalized U.S. citizens. He recently co-authored Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics. Visit his website www.compellingconversati...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Nice try, but did you read the Hamas charter?

Reasoning with religious bigots, zealous fanatics bent of imposing divinely-inspired laws, and extreme nationalists who dream of genocide seldom works.But you made, like many prior idealists, an attempt to cajole Hamas into tolerance, reason, and some sort of sanity. You believe in peace, justice, and understanding; Hamas believes in strict adherrance to the Koran, theocracy, and genocide against infidels. (That probably includes you!) Have you read the Hamas charter yet? It's quite illuminating. Hint: Jews are to be blamed for Gaza, the Holocaust (if it happened), World War I, the international banking system, and every other trite, yet poisonous lie known as anti-semitism. Pick your source. Choose your best language. Read, sigh, and understand.Remember that the philosopher Foucault idealized the religious zealots rebelling against the Shah, argued that Khomini didn't mean what he wrote, and even went to Iran to spin the good revolutionary news. A proud homosexual and anti-imperialist Westerner, Foucault wanted to believe in alternative politics and the best intentions of the Islamic revolutionaries. So what happened the first week the Islamists took power in Tehran? Thousands of homosexuals, as promised by the Islamic zealots, were executed. Foucault returned to France a bit more humble, yet still utterly deluded.Let's respect the leaders of Hamas enough to believe their own writings. They are who they are; their agenda for an Islamic revolution remains very clear. You might want to compare and contrast your ideals and principles with their charter before endorsing their cause. After all, Foucault meant well too.

by sceptic on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 9:23:39 AM

by Eric Roth (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments) on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 9:38:15 AM

Buddha said that there are no beings to liberate, thus all beings are liberated. In the mean time while trying to realize this in daily life, I'm against the two-party dictaotrship and friendly fascism of the ruling plutocrats and their corporations. I agree with George Carlin who said, "The owners of this country know the truth: its called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it."
Gregory WonderwheelBuddha said that there are no beings to liberate, thus all beings are liberated. In the mean time while trying to realize this in daily life, I'm against the two-party dictaotrship and friendly fascism of the ruling plutocrats and their corporations. I agree with George Carlin who said, "The owners of this country know the truth: its called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it."

Have you read the Republican "charter"?

Charters are interesting documents but like party platforms they are statements of theory that are seldom followed in practice. Have you read the Republicna or Democratic platforms. Neither Republican nor Democratic presidents follow their platforms. In the same way, Hamas leaders may not follow their charter.

No, I'm not naive about Hamas. Yet asking Hamas to work for their people and to move toward democracy wil create more of a space for movement than calling Hamas a terrorist organization and ignoring that Hamas was a duly elected political party.

by Gregory Wonderwheel (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 99 comments) on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 5:50:44 PM

Majority Rule Isn't Christian Either.

Sometimes people do come to see why democracy is a good idea for their own religion even though they think their religion has all the answers. In the USA this awareness arose in the context of Christianity in such places as Virginia where the Anglican Church controlled government and suppressed other Christian sects.

Similarly, where Muslims see that without religious freedoms the Sunnis and Shites will suppress each other, then religious freedom has a chance to grow and develop. It may take a few hundred years but it Islam will develop along these lines and is already showing signs of this in the views of Muslims who support secular government in many Islamic nations.

For seeing how the people of Islam are able to deal with these issues I suggest looking at the Doha Debates website.

Should Arab women have full equal rights?

Have Arab governments have failed the Palestinians?

Must the international community accept Hamas as a political partner?

by Gregory Wonderwheel (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 99 comments) on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 6:19:12 PM

I think that all people must be held accountable for their actions under the law. Everyone must be treated the same under International Law, National Laws, and Local Laws, NO EXCEPTIONS! ----- Let only God enforce the laws created by God and let Humans only enforce the laws created by Humans. ----- www.CitizenAmendments.org ----- I support the Mike Gravel National Initiative for Democracy (WWW.NI4D.US) -----
Anton GrambihlerI think that all people must be held accountable for their actions under the law. Everyone must be treated the same under International Law, National Laws, and Local Laws, NO EXCEPTIONS! ----- Let only God enforce the laws created by God and let Humans only enforce the laws created by Humans. ----- www.CitizenAmendments.org ----- I support the Mike Gravel National Initiative for Democracy (WWW.NI4D.US) -----

The US must treat Israel the same as all other Nations

The United States must treat Israel the same as all other Nations. This includes forcing Israel to abide by International Laws, United Nations Resolutions, and allow the Palestine People to return to their Land, their Homes, and their Livelihood.

The United States must stop providing Israel with Billions of dollars in Aid as long as they have unregulated non-conventional weapons and have not signed the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

There will be no peace in the Middle East until the United States Enforces the Laws equally on all people.

When the Nazis Terrorists continued to violate International Law after Land was taken from Czechoslovakia and given to them, they were forced to accept unconditional surrender. Nothing less must be accepted from Israel.

by Anton Grambihler (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 297 comments) on Monday, January 28, 2008 at 2:37:31 PM