Palestinian At Crossroads - Side with Hamas, or Side with Peace?

[Rome101]

After the PA announced Mahmoud Abbas is going to head the interim Palestinian government and pledge the final details of the unity deal with Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister warned the PA is trying to "hold the stick at both ends" and must "choose between the path of peace, or the path of Hamas".

http://english.alarabiya.net/article...06/192882.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ava...017435697.html

"Hamas is a Terrorist organization bent on the destruction of Israel, and relies on support by Iran. Hamas and peace cannot co-exist. Abbas must choose between the two, and if he chooses Hamas, he had abandoned the path of peace", said Netanyahu as quoted in Ynet.co.il (source not yet available in English, here is the link and you can Google Translate it if you wish, or wait for about an hour until official translation comes up on their site).



What do you guys say? Peace, or Hamas?

[justicar5]

After the PA announced Mahmoud Abbas is going to head the interim Palestinian government and pledge the final details of the unity deal with Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister warned the PA is trying to "hold the stick at both ends" and must "choose between the path of peace, or the path of Hamas".

http://english.alarabiya.net/article...06/192882.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ava...017435697.html

"Hamas is a Terrorist organization bent on the destruction of Israel, and relies on support by Iran. Hamas and peace cannot co-exist. Abbas must choose between the two, and if he chooses Hamas, he had abandoned the path of peace", said Netanyahu as quoted in Ynet.co.il (source not yet available in English, here is the link and you can Google Translate it if you wish, or wait for about an hour until official translation comes up on their site).



What do you guys say? Peace, or Hamas?

would this be the same prime minister who rejects every offer of negotiations and supports the Mossad and IDF terror organisations? ORganisations founded by terrorists, who protected those same terrorists, and who idolise them?

[Rome101]

would this be the same prime minister who rejects every offer of negotiations and supports the Mossad and IDF terror organisations? ORganisations founded by terrorists, who protected those same terrorists, and who idolise them?

it would be the same Prime Minister who just had a month-long meetings session with the Palestinians in Jordan and who participated in many negotiations with both the PA and Hamas. Start reading the newspapers, and stop spitting out demagogic hatred.

Also if you classify the IDF or Mossad as terror organizations, I'd have you know you are the only one in the civilized world to do that, and I think it speaks volumes of your extremist approach.

[hellheaven1987]

There would only be peace if Israel stops its colonization scheme first in West Bank and pull back their colonists. Good thing is EU now decides to force Israel to do that.

[Sphere]

I think Bibby's assessment is just plain wrong.

Hamas is a horrible, repugnant, and radical organization, but part of the Palestinian electorate is radicalized and politically supports Hamas or something like Hamas. You cannot ignore away this chunk of the Palestinian population.

Like the IRA in Ireland, they can be de-radicalized if and only if they are part of any peace deal, rather than outside of it.

But I do agree with Bibby that the Palestinians are at a crossroads. Since the 2nd intifada, peaceful negiotiation has not proved very fruitful from the Palestinian perspective, and polls show the support for violence among Palestinian's hasn't diminished. At what point is a return to violence considered? How long can Fatah continue to fail at the negotiating table before their approach is rejected?

[King Gambrinus]

So if Hamas were to renounce their violent ways, you would still not forgive them?

[Rome101]

So if Hamas were to renounce their violent ways, you would still not forgive them?

Of course I will, if they renounce violence and declare peaceful means.

[King Gambrinus]

Of course I will, if they renounce violence and declare peaceful means.

Well it looks as if certain factions in Hamas are looking for a short-term peace treaty with this kind of unity government.



If Hamas were to accept a peace treaty, but not recognise Israel as a Jewish state and continue to declare it a terrorist state, would you be happy with that as an Israeli? It seems Netanyahu wouldn't, but what is the Israeli people's feelings about this.

[Rome101]

Well it looks as if certain factions in Hamas are looking for a short-term peace treaty with this kind of unity government.

If Hamas were to accept a peace treaty, but not recognise Israel as a Jewish state and continue to declare it a terrorist state, would you be happy with that as an Israeli? It seems Netanyahu wouldn't, but what is the Israeli people's feelings about this.

Of course I wouldn't.
Peace means recognizing that the Israelis and the Palestinians are equal in every way, and both deserve to live safely and securely in their own countries, have their own cultures and practice their own religions and traditions and enforce their own laws.
When the Arabs put down their arms, war will not exist.
But if Israel puts down her arms first, ISRAEL will not exist.

Zionists are no partner for peace.They just stall and make new facts on the ground.

Should I bring back the math? I already showed you it's the Palestinians who are stalling.
Plus, that's mighty racist of you. I'm a Zionist and I certainly do not make "new facts on the ground". I actually have no relation to local politics, and replacing "the Israeli government" with "Zionists" is like replacing "that guy over there" with "all of the black people in the world".

[Armenum]

I think the choice is a bit more complex for Abbas. He doesn't want infuriate either side in moving ahead with the peace process. He needs to understand that in order for any peace to succeed he must have the full weight of Palestinian people behind him, not divided. That being said, it's not just Palestinians at crossroads, but also Israelis, especially with their current right wing government and it's not like they have been entirely conducive to peace. Palestinians need to unite better, behind a force that will fight for their interests, but shy away from politically harmful statements such as "Israel needs to be wiped off the map".

[Burnum]

There can be no peace with Israel deliberately sabotage the peace effort with blatant colonization of private Palestinian land. How can you negotiate in good faith when ruling party does not even recognize the Palestinian right to exist?

it would be the same Prime Minister who just had a month-long meetings session with the Palestinians in Jordan and who participated in many negotiations with both the PA and Hamas. Start reading the newspapers, and stop spitting out demagogic hatred.

The negotiations are a farce, Israel is involved in it because it gives them more of an opportunity to steal Palestinian land.

[Armenum]

There can be no peace with Israel deliberately sabotage the peace effort with blatant colonization of private Palestinian land. How can you negotiate in good faith when ruling party does not even recognize the Palestinian right to exist?

That is indeed a problem, but it's not like the rhetoric on the Palestinian side is much better.

[Burnum]

That is indeed a problem, but it's not like the rhetoric on the Palestinian side is much better.

Hamas sadly speaks the truth, the Israel will not be satisfied until it has colonized and occupy all of the viable Palestinian land. It's blatantly clear now that only will violence force the creation of a Palestinian state.

[Armenum]

Hamas sadly speaks the truth, the Israel will not be satisfied until it has colonized and occupy all of the viable Palestinian land. It's blatantly clear now that only will violence force the creation of a Palestinian state.

Violence will be responded with more violence and no one will win. Palestinians are long due for a state of course and Israelis should stop further settlements. There just isn't any trust between the two sides and hence such a headache to reach any consensus.

[Garbarsardar]

What do you guys say? Peace, or Hamas?

or Danzig?


You seem to forget that when peace is at one end of a dilemma, posed by the one side, the other end contains humiliation.

Let's try some more:

Peace or settlers in the west bank?
Peace or "no right of return"?
Peace or "not an inch of Jerusalem"?
Rational discussion or idiotic dilemmas?

[Sphere]

This is also a bit of the pot calling the tea-kettle black.

Bibby is leading a coalition which includes the worst parts of Israeli society, mainly the extreme settlers who partake in "Price Tag" attacks on Palestinians and their property. Groups and actions which the vast majority of Israeli's disagree with. However, without them Bibby's right-wing coalition would not have a majority and he would fall from power.

So why is Bibby's political coalition with violent religous extremists okay, but Fatah's not?

[Morbius Sire]

Hamas sadly speaks the truth, the Israel will not be satisfied until it has colonized and occupy all of the viable Palestinian land. It's blatantly clear now that only will violence force the creation of a Palestinian state.

While I respect your opinion on the matter; please read the history of the PLO from the 60s onward.

Violence/Armed-resistance will not give any results. This became obvious from the 80s onward. All Hamas does is give Israeli and Pro-Israeli more material to use in their propaganda.

That's way the UN move, done last year, has to work. It will give some leverage to the Palestinians.

[irontaino]

Well, negotiations with Israel are pretty useless, especially when the head of the current government is a man who once bragged about derailing the peace process. Nothing should deter the reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.

[ash874]

Well, negotiations with Israel are pretty useless, especially when the head of the current government is a man who once bragged about derailing the peace process. Nothing should deter the reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.

how is that any worse than hamas members constantly calling to quit the peace process
double standards ironman

I am under the impression that Israel was the one fired first shot during Six Days War...

then you need to educate yourself more on that matter
besides, the war didnt start in 67 it started in 48?

[hellheaven1987]

I am under the impression that Israel was the one fired first shot during Six Days War...