Reintroducing Hamas

There could be more to Russia?s invitation to leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas to Moscow than meets the eye.

There could be more to Russia’s invitation to leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas to Moscow than meets the eye. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to ask the winners of last month’s Palestinian polls over to Moscow for parleys. And now France has indicated its willingness to follow suit. On one hand, this will cause concern and consternation in Israel and elsewhere — which is understandable, given Hamas’s credentials as a militant group that routinely uses terrorism and violence as political tools. Besides, its charter is still dedicated to the destruction of Israel. On the other hand, this may encourage more Western capitals to opt for talks with a group that the US and the EU have branded a terrorist outfit.

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After all, Hamas did win a democratic election, taking 76 out of the 132 seats in the landmark poll and defeating Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’s ruling Fatah faction. It is likely that the group would go in for an alliance with other parties to form a government, if only for the simple reason that interaction with the international community would be very difficult if it tried to govern alone. Senior leaders of its political wing now openly speak of reciprocating any Israeli steps towards peace, suggesting a tacit acceptance of the two-State solution at some point. Hamas leaders also appear keen to put the onus on the international community, which indicates a willingness to accept international mediation. While no State would seriously consider dealing with terrorist groups that deny Israel’s right to exist, it would be different with a Palestinian Authority that remains committed to these positions, even if it draws parliamentary support from members who won on Hamas tickets.

History shows that responsibilities attached to democratic politics often tame militant ideologies. In fact, by participating in the electoral process, Hamas has left for itself the Hobson’s choice of moderating its ideology. For that’s the only way it can prevail over voters in any large number. Hamas risks being marginalised if it fails to deliver practical results as it addresses a wide range of constituencies. The new line of thinking in Moscow and Paris probably draws from all this.