(IsraelForum.com) -- Like it or not, the Palestinians have elected the Islamic terror group Hamas to function as its national representative. Initially, the U.S., Russia, and the European leaders of the Road Map Quartet declared that they would not deal with Hamas. But within a few weeks of the declaration, much to the U.S. State Department’s chagrin, Russia broke ranks with the Quartet, and invited Hamas for talks in Moscow. Shortly thereafter, France expressed its support for the meeting.
Already, Japan announced that Hamas should be considered the rightful leader of the Palestinian people, and unless the terror group is caught red-handed perpetrating high-casualty suicide bombings, other nations are expected lend their legitimacy to Hamas, as well.
When they learned of the Russian invitation, Israeli and American officials appeared to be in shock at what they correctly perceived as Putin’s betrayal. Israelis accused the Russian leader of "stabbing them in the back," and "spitting in their face."
To be sure, the Russians intended their action to be as large an affront as the Israelis took it to be. They correctly calculated that the more flagrant the betrayal of Western interests, the more likely the Russians are to regain their monopoly over weapons trade with radical, terrorist-supporting Muslim countries, like Iran, Syria, and the Palestinians. Putin, star of the Soviet Cold War era, knows from experience that there are still billions to be made from selling sophisticated high-tech weapons to the enemies of the West.
Terrorist Partner or... Terrorist Partner
Like Russia, France and Japan also have a great deal of trade at stake with the Muslim world, and as in the case of Russia, the fact that Hamas is a terrorist organization is no bar to doing business. After all, the West, including the U.S. and Israel, legitimized and aupported Arafat’s Fatah party despite it being a terrorist organization. The only difference is that Fatah is a terror organization that has theoretically removed the section of its charter that calls for the destruction of Israel, while the Hamas has not. Of course, the difference is merely academic.
Fatah’s al Aqsa Brigades is responsible for at least as many terror attacks as Hamas, and the body count of both groups’ victims are equivalent. But, this has not stopped the U.S. and the EU from sponsoring the Fatah government to the tune of more than a billions dollars each year, regardless of the group's attrocities. It would be very difficult, then, to claim that any country has shied away from doing business with the likes of Hamas.
And, in this case, Israel would be advised to accept Hamas as its best Palestinian negotiating partner yet. Why? Precisely because Hamas is a known terrorist organization and reviled all over the Western world, as well as in most of the Arab world.
Putting aside the revulsion that the mere presence of a Hamas representative would create in any civilized person, it is important to take certain global realities into account:
The only party in the Quartet whose opinion really counts is the U.S., and America has determined that producing an independent country for the Palestinians is a prerequisite to gaining the support of the Muslim world for America’s war against al Qaeda. Therefore, in the final analysis, a Palestinian state will be created, even if it is to be ruled by Hamas.
And, make no mistake, the only requirement for Hamas to be given a state is the group’s vague indication that it recognizes the right of Israel to exist -- something that the group has already practically iterated. No real change in Hamas policy or actions will be required, despite the State Department’s proclamations to the contrary. It is simply more important for America not to be seen by the Muslim "street" as depriving the Palestinians of their state than it is to ensure a civilized Palestinian government.
The Bottom Line is the Bottom Line
Again, in any final agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, the outcome will be determined by the U.S., as has been the case historically. If the U.S. decides that Israel must hand over more land to the Palestinians, so it shall be written and so it shall be done. That is precisely why the undisputed fact that Hamas is a terrorist organization, will work to Israel’s advantage in final border negotiations with the Palestinians.
The U.S., which is no friend of Hamas, will be less likely to force Israel into far-reaching concessions to the terrorist group than it would in the case of a legitimate Palestinian representative at the bargaining table. With Hamas at the helm of a Palestinian state, Israel’s security concerns will finally be shared with those who will really make the decisions about its final borders.
In negotiations with Hamas, Israel will be able to walk away with more land, more regional control, and more international supervision of the Palestinians than under any other circumstances. And, there will be no need to pretend that what is being agreed is real peace. Instead, all parties will agree that the arrangement is purely a realistic settlement of a long-standing land dispute and the contacts required between the Palestinians and Israel will be minimized, which is certainly to Israel’s benefit.
All-Time Low Support for Palestinians
It would be a completely different story altogether if Israel could reasonably expect the Palestinians to come up with a civilized leadership any time in the near future. But realistically, there is no viable Palestinian leader who is not as deeply involved in terrorism and the destruction of the State of Israel than is Hamas.
Even Mahmoud Abbas, the sanitized Holocaust denier at the head of Fatah, allowed a myriad of terror groups to smuggle and produce a vast amount of illegal weapons, and he was unwilling to lift a finger to stop the ongoing campaign of terrorism against Israel. His excuse was that he is "too weak" to deliver even a single Palestinian city as a terror-free zone. This weakness rendered him utterly useless as a peace partner -- and he was already the only leader the Palestinians could ever present without the blood of Israeli men, women, and children directly on his hands.
Understanding that the Palestinians cannot and will not produce a non-terrorist peace partner in the forseeable future, it is better for Israel to negotiate against a terrorist entity that is unpopular with the U.S. than against a terrorist organization that enjoys strong international support, like Fatah. Make no mistake, there are no other Palestinians political parties waiting in the wings to serve as an alternative.
So, Israel would be wise to seize the day and seal the deal during an all-time low in international support for the Palestinians. Barring a catastrophic attack on the Jewish state, there will never again be a time that Israel will be required to give up so little to the Palestinians.
The undisputed fact that Hamas is a terrorist organization, will work to Israel’s advantage in final border negotiations with the Palestinians. Israel would be wise to seal the deal during an all-time low in international support for the Palestinians. The U.S., which is no friend of Hamas, will be less likely to force Israel into far-reaching concessions to the terrorist group than it would in the case of a legitimate Palestinian representative at the bargaining table.
