Local Jewish community responds to Hamas win
By Shayndi Raice
The Jewish Advocate
Leaders debate what the victory means for Middle East peace
After the victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections on Jan. 25, Boston's Jewish community has been mostly united over its insistence that Israel, the United States and the world should refuse to deal with Hamas until it renounces terrorism and accepts the right of Israel to exist. However, despite their agreement, many analysts and leaders have differed in their interpretation of Hamas' victory and what it signals for the future of the peace process.
"We are facing a reality where a terrorist organization actually will be ruling and governing the Palestinian Authority," said Meir Shlomo, the Israeli Consul General to New England. "That, as a reality, is intolerable because they are terrorists and because they are openly devoted to the annihilation of Israel."
While many have maintained that the election of Hamas showed Palestinian support for terrorism, some analysts are saying that there is potential for Hamas to moderate and begin negotiations with Israel.
In a community-wide event on Jan. 26 in Wayland, the Jewish Community Relations Council organized leading local Israeli academics to discuss their reactions and predications on the Palestinian elections. Nimrod Hurvitz, a senior lecturer at Ben Gurion University and research fellow at Harvard Law School's Islamic Legal Studies Program, and Nir Eisikovits, professor at Boston University and fellow at the International Institute for Mediation and Historical Conciliation, led a discussion and analysis.
"Everyone was pretty much stunned," said Dubi Gordon, an organizer of the event which drew 250 people. "Hamas was expected to have a good showing although no one expected that they would form this government."
Although many were saying that the election results were a horrible shock, Hurvitz believed that Hamas' victory could be a positive step in Israeli-Palestinian relations if they are forced to modify their anti-Israel stance. "It's very confusing, but I think that there is potential for some good developments," he told the Advocate this week.
Hurvitz explained that Hamas is divided into pragmatic and military wings. If the international community can pressure the pragmatists to overcome the militarists, then Israel might have the ability to negotiate a peaceful solution.
Hurvitz also denied that the Palestinians chose terrorism by voting for Hamas. Instead, he believes that the Palestinians voted against the corruption of Fatah. "This is a classical protest vote," he said.
He added that although Israel and the international community should publicly distance themselves from Hamas, he hopes that they communicate unofficially. "We should not approach them as if they are taboo or incorrigible Islamic militants," he said.
Many members of the Jewish community strongly disagree with Hurvitz's analysis. Charles Jacobs, director of the David Project, said: "I think there is a never-ending naïve hopefulness that drives people to have illusions. It's clear to the Palestinian people what Hamas is, and any continued wishful thinking on the part of some people in the Jewish community at this point demonstrates that there may never be an end to self-delusion."
JCRC's statement said the recent election "underscores Israel's need to act to protect its security, even through unilateral measures. The Palestinians cannot have it both ways; with Hamas in power, there will be no possibility of peace and reconciliation."
Larry Lowenthal, director of the Boston chapter of AJC, released this statement: "This election is a setback for peace, a victory for extremists, and a blow to all who yearn for an end to violence. Hamas' embrace and glorification of terrorism, its direct responsibility for dozens of suicide bombings, its commitment to the destruction of Israel, and its rejection of negotiations makes it difficult to imagine that Hamas will suddenly be transformed into a responsible government prepared to live side-by-side in peace and security with Israel. Hamas rejects Israel's right to exist. This doesn't leave much room for negotiation."
But he added: "The Palestinian vote represents a repudiation of the corrupt policies of Fatah more than an endorsement of Hamas."
Shlomo said that he does not think it is wise to examine the motives of the Palestinians, but deal with the reality in the region. "They have voted for a terrorist organization devoted to the annihilation of Israel," he said. "Any Palestinian that voted for Hamas knows that they will have a terrorist organization running their daily life."
