Don’t Punish the Palestinians

Former US President Jimmy Carter analyzes the new Palestinian government under Hamas and finds that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas retains certain key powers. Abbas can appoint a prime minister who recognizes Israel and endorses the “road map.” As the leader of the PLO, Abbas can also continue to pursue peace talks with Israel as he has done throughout 2005. Despite their high numbers of elected officials, Hamas does not have the guaranteed number of votes in parliament necessary to override an Abbas veto. Given these facts and others, the US and Israel should hesitate about imagining worst-case scenarios and preemptively “punishing” the Palestinians for electing Hamas. Unfortunately, Israel is working to withhold Palestinian revenue and restrict the movement of Hamas officials. The US, meanwhile, will be withdrawing funding for the Hamas government, and has not endorsed the possibility of channeling support to the Palestinian people through the United Nations. Such policies could create greater support for Hamas, making it more difficult to modify its behavior. Humanitarian aid should flow from the UN to the Palestinians, and nations such as Russia, Egypt and others should be prodded to exert a formative, moderate influence on Hamas, supporting Abbas as he uses the substantial power he has left to pursue peace. – YaleGlobal