Those involved in this week’s much discussed beginning of direct discussions between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were rudely introduced to the realities of the region when Palestinian gunmen shot and killed four Israeli settlers outside of the city of Hebron on the West Bank. Hamas, which in the recent months has observed a ceasefire, immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
The US main stream media has described the attack as an effort by Hamas to sabotage the upcoming talks, citing their refusal to recognize Israel’s “right to exist”. While only Hamas knows their reasons for initiating the attack, my take is somewhat different.
Based on my discussions with Hamas leaders, I believe that Hamas would accept a solution that was based on the 1967 borders, East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state, a just solution for the refugees and approval by the Palestinian people in a referendum. (Khaled Mishal said similar things to NY Times here)
So why initiate the attack at this time? If the reason was to sabotage the negotiations, the attack was completely unnecessary. They will most likely fail without any help from Hamas.
I think that Hamas is trying to send two messages. One is that they cannot be ignored in any negotiations. They are a player and, as indicated by their victory in the 2006 elections, they speak for a large number of Palestinians. The US, Israel and the Palestinian Authority ignore them at their peril.
The second message is that the status quo is not sustainable. For the past two decades since the Oslo Accords, Israel’s policy towards the “peace process” has been to have all process and no peace. Through the use of walls, barriers, settlements, attacks, targeted killings and arrests Israel has succeeded in maintaining the occupation with a modicum of calm. They are perfectly content to have the negotiations either fail, with the Palestinians being blamed, or drag on endlessly. Hamas’ message is that they are not going to allow this scenario to be perpetuated indefinitely. It is significant that the deadly attack occurred in an area of the West Bank totally controlled by the Israelis.
It is unlikely that the US will hear this message and more innocent civilians will die on both sides.
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