Western democracies should be celebrating Gaza’s democratic elections on Wednesday. Instead, they’re acting as if Gaza morphed into a theocratic autocracy overnight.
Hamas wins in Gaza
Of course, Western democracies have branded Hamas a terrorist organization. And they accuse Iran and its “wipe Israel off the map“ president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, of funding the organization’s terrorist activities.
That’s why Western democracies had all their chips on Fatah winning these elections. And everyone knows America and its “you’re either with us or against us” president, George W. Bush, fund Fatah’s nation-building.
Yet, it’s telling that Hamas supporters celebrated their victory by chanting Iran’s infamous battle cry, “Death to Israel!”
Hamas terrorists as politicians
Pundits are warning that this outcome portends dire consequences for peace in the Middle East. But these are the same so-called experts who predicted a Fatah landslide. Frankly, the only appropriate reaction to these elections is to recognize them as a profound lesson in democracy.
Granted, it doesn’t help that Hamas refuses to renounce its commitment to destroy Israel. But the Palestinian people have spoken. And they clearly couldn’t care less that Western democracies will treat their leaders like skunks at a garden party.
Indeed, self-righteous governments, chiefly Israel and the United States, are vowing to have nothing to do with Hamas. But it behooves them to recognize and accept responsibility for their unwitting contribution to this outcome.
After all, they enabled the egregiously corrupt Fatah. Most notably, Western democracies turned a blind as Fatah leader Yasser Arafat became a billionaire by fleecing their aid. That corruption fed resentment among long-suffering Palestinians, inevitably leading to Fatah’s justified demise.
What price democracy?
The Palestinians have made their choice. Let Hamas govern, for better or worse. And let’s pray that civil war does not render governing Gaza even more difficult than already seems bound to be the case.
Of course, I’m all too mindful that the Germans made their choice when they elected the Nazis. But, as America’s slaveholding founding framers would attest, democracy is a messy proposition. Exhibit A: the American Civil War.
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Anonymous says
God bless you for your fairness my brother. It is pitiful that so many world leaders only respect democratic outcomes that conform with thier bias.
Anonymous says
Don’t buy the narrative that everyone Israel doesn’t like is a terrorist. There is at least one model of successful political discussions where “terrorists” gave up violence when they were given real political power and left alone by the security apparatus. See the IRA. One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.
Rachel S says
It is definitely a victory for deomocracy, but I’m not so certain it is a victory for peace.
Hoever, I do think they are going to have a very hard time ruling because they are broke. I heard it NPR yesterday. They have no money to sustain the party; the primary money the people in the occupied territories were getting was from Israeli taxes (I’m not sure how that works.), and Isreal will probably freeze that.
Ric says
Tony
If I did not read this post early this morning I might have thought you added that line about civil war after seeing developments in Gaza on TV. But boy did you call it right. I think the Palestinians might be too busy destroying each other to govern or destroy Israel.
ari says
great point rachel s
that’s why i think alh is right that the only appropriate response is to let hamas experience what it;s like to have the duties and responsibilities of governing instead of just blowing things up. then maybe the palestinian people will elect leaders who want to do more than just destroy us.
Rachel S says
Sorry for the 80,000 typos in my last message. I was running out the door.
It’s readable, but I need to proof read. LOL!