On the anniversary of Hamas’ election victory, The Guardian’s Rory McCarthy writes:
At times Hamas leaders have tried to appear conciliatory. Although Hamas took part in the capture of an Israeli soldier on the Gaza border and was involved in fighting in the five months of Israeli military action in Gaza last year and the rocket launches into Israel, there was a long Hamas ceasefire and there has been no Hamas suicide bombing inside Israel since August 2004.
Terror attacks are down, but the stats don’t reflect any softening on Hamas’ part. If Hamas wanted to be “conciliatory,” they could start by releasing Gilad Shalit, recognizing Israel, renouncing terror and honoring previous peace agreements.
In one respect, however, McCarthy’s correct. When it comes to Hamas conciliation — whether with Israel or Fatah — appearances matter more than substance.
