Hamas and the Future of Israel
By The Rev. Dr. L. H. Chamberlain, Jr.
Pastor, First Lutheran Church, Lorain, OH

In January, the Palestinian people voted for Hamas--the militant party vowing the destruction of Israel and promising to push the Jews into the sea--to be their government. On Tuesday, the Israelis will vote for their new government. What will Israel do? What will Hamas do?

Will Israel continue to disengage, i.e. pull out of, the Jewish occupied territory?

The Palestinian population in Israel is growing faster than the Jewish population and could soon control a majority of the vote in Israeli elections.

Reuvan Hazan, of the Hebrew University and adviser to the speaker of the Knesset on changing the internal structure of the Irsraeli Parliament: "Our Declaration of Independence says Israel is a Jewish and democratic state. To have both you need a Jewish majority. ... By disengaging (the Gaza Strip) the percentage of Jewish population went back up to 60 percent so Israel could remain a Jewish and democratic state. Go back to the '67 border and it will become 87 percent Jewish."

Einat Wilf, foreign policy adviser to Knesset member Shimon Peres and candidate in the upcoming Knesset elections: "Sharon knew he either had support or indifference for clearing out the settlements in Gaza. What we learned was that unilateral disengagement took power away from the Palestinians to veto any change and gave the initiative to Israel."

What will Israel do with the taxes they collected for the previous Palestinian government?

Reuvan Hazan, adviser to the speaker of the Knesset: "The political situation is that the government is trying to catch up with the people who want Palestine to no longer be an internal struggle but a foreign issue. ... The Israeli people want a divorce from the Palestinians and a divorce says 'I just want you out and she doesn't get the house.' They don't want to send any of their taxes there."

Mohammad M. Yaghi, executive director of the Palestinian Center for Mass Communication: "[Israel can] try to squeeze the Palestinians but it will fire back [sic]. Already the majority of the Palestinians are living in a bad way, and making it worse will lead Palestinians into the streets in violence."

Will Israel negotiate with Hamas?

Hanna Siniora, member of the Palestinian National Council and a Palestinian representative to the U.S. government: "If Israel uses a carrot, Hamas can move toward cooperation. ... If it uses a stick, a hard-line stance, it will drive Hamas into Iran."

Daniel Taub, director of the General Law Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "The main issue threatening [Israel] is Iran. ... It is a country whose government says openly that their goal and aim is to get rid of Israel."

Asher Susser, director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies: "The initial Israeli reaction to the election of Hamas is a knee-jerk reaction. At the end of the day, we must be pragmatic. The current isolationist posturing is a current Israeli voting campaign and not a governmental position. ... You cannot say we want you to have a democratic election and then complain when the wrong group wins."

Hanna Siniora, Palestinian National Council: "The Israeli Palestine Conference meeting in Turkey feels they are picking up signals of softening in Hamas in relation to Israel, for example they are removing from their platform the destruction of Israel." An American rabbi responds: "So you'll only push us into the sea?" Hanna: "We will offer a 20-year cease-fire and truce if Israel withdraws to pre-'67 borders [giving up Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem]."

Daniel Taub, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "We believe, eventually, we'll find some kind of moderate solution because what they want is a better economy and a better life like we do. We'll find a way to live together even with Hamas. But down deep, they'll still hate us."