Here is a statement issued by Sabeel: Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center concerning the Hamas victory in the recent Palestinian elections. I know next to nothing about this organization, but I think the statement seems fair, and frankly good.
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A WAKE UP CALL!
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God.” (Romans 8:28)
Before we engage in both analysis and prognosis of the Palestinian election, it is important to humble oneself before God and to the way history moves and turns always surprising us with changes that on the surface may seem dangerous and threatening but eventually could be for our good. We believe in the sovereignty of God over the affairs of this world. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and God’s ways are not our ways. We need to put our full confidence and trust in God. With the Psalmist we say,
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:3-4)
The so-called peace process between Israel and the Palestinians has often had to be resuscitated by shock treatment. The first and second Intifadas were such examples, and now this – Hamas is in power. All these earth-shaking tremors were sudden and completely unexpected. There has been no peace process going on for many years now, and Israel has been clamping down on the Palestinian people more and more oppressively to stop an explosion. Well, the explosion has nevertheless taken place but this time in a democratic and peaceful way.
Up to the last minute before the Palestinian election, the polls showed that Fatah, the main Palestinian party, and the party in government, would win by a small margin. On Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 77.69% of the Palestinian voters cast their ballots. To the shock of the Palestinian community, Hamas won a sweeping victory with 74 seats out of 132 in the Legislative Council, while Fatah obtained 45 seats. Four of the other competing parties by comparison, hardly won 2 or 3 seats each. It must be remembered that Fatah, under the leadership of Yasser Arafat, led the Palestinian struggle since the mid 1960’s as the largest and most influential party. Hamas on the
other hand is less than 20 years old.
Sabeel would like to share its assessment and analysis of the situation to help people understand the challenges that lie ahead.
1. Fatah, Hamas, and the Occupation
Hamas, an Arabic acronym for “Muslim Resistance Movement,” emerged at the height of the first intifada. Hamas combined religious ideology with Palestinian nationalism. In its early stages it was encouraged by Israel with the hope of weakening the PLO. As Hamas grew in strength it became Israel’s nightmare. It championed the armed struggle against the occupation, met Israeli violence with violence, rejected Israel’s right to exist, and called for the liberation of the whole of Palestine including the areas on which Israel was founded.
About the same time that Hamas emerged, the Palestinian National Council(PNC) meeting in Algiers, and for the sake of peace, recognized the state of Israel within the 1967 borders and agreed to engage it through peaceful negotiations, with the hope of ending the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel. While the Palestinian Authority (PA) language became more in line with the demands of a peaceful solution, Israel’s military actions against the Palestinians continued unabated.
As corruption, complacency, and mismanagement increased within the ranks of the PA, Hamas was gaining more respect and popularity for its educational and humanitarian work among the people. Moreover, Hamas was perceived as disciplined, organized and free of financial corruption. In fact, it ran its election campaign under the slogan of “change and reform” and its slate contained non-Hamas candidates.
2. No Light at the End of the Tunnel
Unfortunately, the peace process kept meandering and faltering and Israel did not enable President Mahmoud Abbas to deliver anything to his people,particularly the release of Palestinian prisoners. Israel resumed its targeted assassination even when Hamas kept the “period of calm” for 53 days. Israel flouted the legal opinion of the International Court of Justice and continued to build the separation wall on Palestinian Land. It wrenched an agreement from President Bush to annex three large settlement blocks. It fragmented the West Bank and set up hundreds of checkpoints. It ruled out negotiating the future of Jerusalem, the return of refugees, and the 1967 borders. It closed the door on the creation of a viable, independent Palestinian State. It pursued its unilateral policies completely
disregarding the Palestinian people, who found themselves with no political horizon. All of this under the watchful eye of the United States, the UN, the EU, and the indifference of the Arab countries. Hamas filled the vacuum.
3. Sign of Change
While continuing to promote a two-state solution, Sabeel perceives a change in the stand of Hamas in this direction, though not a recognition of Israel yet. Hamas is also suggesting a very long term cease-fire (hudna). Their stand is to halt the armed struggle and leave the matter of ending the conflict to future generations. After all, Ariel Sharon had always called for a Palestinian State with interim borders. We believe that ending the occupation and the recognition of the national and human rights of the Palestinian people by Israel, will move Hamas in the right direction towards moderation.
We need to bear in mind the following points as we anticipate the future.
1. The Palestinian election was democratically conducted with hardly
any infractions. This fact is concrete proof of Palestinian commitment to democracy.
2. It is important to seek the end of all violence, beginning with the Israeli occupation. If Hamas is going to be pressured to pursue the way of nonviolence, Israel must do the same.
3. Whether Hamas or Fatah is in government the Palestinian people still live under the oppressive Israeli occupation. We appeal to all people of goodwill to use every nonviolent means to put pressure on Israel to end its occupation.
4. The only way toward moderation on all sides is for the international community to pursue an even handed policy with both sides. A double standard approach and the rush to stop foreign aid will only lead to disaster.
5. Speaking at the press conference, after the elections, Khaled
Mish’al, the head of the Political Council of Hamas, ended with the words, “Let us be humble before God and before our people [ ] we will not commit injustice to anyone” It is Sabeel’s hope that Hamas really means these words and will seek a peaceful reconciliation between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
In this new political environment Sabeel seeks to be a bridge helping to implement the principles of justice, peace and reconciliation for all the people in our land. We hope that political and religious leaders from all countries and all faiths will join Sabeel in working quickly and openly for a two-state solution- a safe and secure Palestine alongside a safe and secure Israel.
4 February 2006
Sabeel
Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center
P.O. Box 49084, Jerusalem 91491,
Tel: 972-2-5327136, Fax: 972-2-5327137
E-mail: sabeel@sabeel.org
Website: www.sabeel.org