Writing in Newsday, David Makovsky debunks shaky rationales for legitimizing Hamas:
Despite the belligerent tone, some believe it would be a good idea for Hamas to join the Palestinian government. They are convinced that giving this group public responsibility is a test that it will ultimately fail and that it will be discredited in the process. This is not a new argument. In fact, the same argument was made about the Islamic extremists when Ayatollah Khomeini took over in Iran. Indeed, the analysts were correct that the mullahs in Iran would lose public support, but were wrong that this would lessen their grip on power….
Another hope some analysts have is that once in power Hamas will split between those who favor good governance and those who are largely motivated by their terrorist aims. Whether this split will occur depends in no small part on whether the international community forces Hamas to choose. It is never easy for ideological movements to shift. Something needs to trigger it….
To grant de facto legitimacy to Hamas would be wrong and undermine Palestinian moderates, who have made clear to the Palestinian public the radical road is a sure way for them all to become international pariahs and for the goal of statehood to become a more distant prospect.
