Hamas win no cause for panic

Hamas win no cause for panic

In many ways the win by Hamas in the Palestinian January 25 legislative election was a positive outcome.

As George Bush observed, the Palestinian people demonstrated a renewed commitment to the democratic process and their disinterest in continuing to prop up a corrupt political organization that has done nothing to further the interests of the people it claimed to represent.

For years, Fatah skimmed millions, perhaps billions, of dollars of the foreign aid that was intended for the poorest and most vulnerable Palestinian citizens. Fatah was unable to control the militants, unable to negotiate with Israel because it was clear they would never be able to deliver on anything, and generally very poor administrators.

While the terrorist leanings of Hamas are definitely a concern it would appear they have been forced into a corner. They cannot possibly continue to support terrorist activity and expect the United States to allow the regime to remain in place. On the other hand it is going to be very difficult to control the jihadists in the party who are intent on the destruction of Israel. If only for reasons of political expediency reason would dictate that the party move quickly to center, renounce the jihadists and focus on properly managing the Palestinian state and improving the lives of its citizens.

If it does this, the international community absolutely must step forward and assist it both with dollars and security resources. If on the other hand it insists on maintaining its terrorist leanings then it must be obliterated.

The future of Palestine and the Palestinian people now rest in the hands of a few suddenly very powerful men. How history remembers them will depend on the degree to which jihadist ideology is ingrained in them.