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Hamas, A Political Party?

(Indian Express-India) P. R. Kumaraswamy - Many have argued that the induction of Hamas into the electoral process is essential for reducing the violence, that given the strong public support of Hamas, its absence would undermine the credibility of the electoral process. But is Hamas ready to be a player? Hamas has yet to establish its unqualified willingness to recognize the supremacy of the Palestinian Authority. To be a player, Hamas must learn to play the role of an opposition rather than opponent of the authority. It would be naive to suggest that Hamas militants were capable of making a transition towards seeking a political, not maximalist, solution vis-a-vis Israel since they are driven by an uncompromising religious extremism. Without moderation and the willingness to compromise, enlisting Hamas in the electoral process would only complicate matters for Abbas.If it is to compete with and perhaps replace the PLO, Hamas needs to present itself as a political party guided by compromise rather than a militant group driven by ideological militancy. It is far from certain whether Hamas has the ability to make that transformation.
2005-10-21 00:00:00
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