Analyst Elliot Chodoff takes a contrarian view on the Hamas in PA elections issue:
The Israeli government is investing a great deal of effort in an attempt to prevent the Palestinian Islamic terrorist organization Hamas from taking part in the upcoming elections for the Palestinian Authority. While we can appreciate the government’s aversion to the idea of facing a PA run by Hamas (and frankly we would rather see them disappear as well), it would be better to let them run for a number of reasons.
We are firm believers in the principle that people should be permitted to choose their own leaders, even if they will bring ruin upon them. Should the Palestinians prefer Hamas with all of the ramifications of a radical Islamic regime, including Iran-style religious repression and an ongoing war with Israel, they should have the right to embark on that path, and suffer the certain consequences that choosing such a path will elicit. If the voters surprise them (and us) and vote them down, Hamas will be forced to recognize that it represents a minority of the people, and will lose the justification that it, rather than the elected but corrupt PA, speaks for the Palestinians.
If Hamas is prohibited from running, the corrupt elements of the PA will have no incentive to clean up their act. The endemic corruption of the PA and its Fatah-based functionaries has brought years of grief to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The only serious political threat to the thugs and warlords who today control most of the Palestinian political arena on the local level is the fear of being displaced by Hamas. And say what you want about Hamas, aggravating as their obnoxious ideology may be, and dangerous as they are as a virulent terrorist organization, at least they are honest.
Hamas’ honesty works to Israel’s benefit despite that organization’s sworn hatred of the Jewish State. Finally, instead of the equivocating PA leadership that talks peace and promotes war, calling for reconciliation and compromise while abetting terrorism and inciting hatred, Israel will be confronted with an enemy that means exactly what it says. It will certainly make political analysis simpler, because when Hamas says, ‘We want to destroy Israel and kill all the Jews,’ what it really means is ‘We want to destroy Israel and kill all the Jews.’
Most important, the Hamas terrorists are not going to disappear or change their approach if they are barred from the electoral process. They will remain in the political arena, continuing to threaten both Israel and the PA from behind the scenes. The Israeli response will have to be forceful military action which will be seen as undermining the ‘moderate’ PA, while Abu Mazen (or his successor) will continue to accommodate Hamas, protecting its terrorists and trying to co-opt its leaders, as he condemns Israel for its antiterrorist actions – undermining his authority. Caught between two adversaries, he will side with Hamas; they are closer to his political views and are a far greater threat to his regime and his life.
We are under no illusions that an elected Hamas will somehow suddenly become a moderate, responsible political organization acting in the best interests of its constituency. But it will be refreshing change to confront a PA that expresses itself in straightforward terms, whether peaceful or warlike, and stands by its word.
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