Short on Hamas
Claire Short on Hamas and the proposed sanctions on Palestine:
'I don’t think people understand how desperate the situation is in Gaza, in particular in the West Bank. Children in Gaza are as malnourished as the children in Zimbabwe and the democratic republic of Congo. The situation is desperate and if anyone suggests cutting off of funding, then its even further and deeper poverty .
Secondly, everyone says they’re in favour of democracy. The Palestinian people have elected their representatives and we’re supposed to be helping the Palestinian authority create institutions that work so that there can be some order, some disciple and a government that can be negotiated with. And if you provide funding in a sensible way, you monitor how it’s spent.
So I think All this huffing and puffing about not funding Hamas because they’re committed to the use of violence, when the Israeli state has killed more civilians than Hamas has killed Israelis, is just… outrageous and will just destabilise the Middles East and the Palestine- Israel situation even further.
Presenter: What about a formal declaration that Israel has the right to exist? That might help a great deal...
Short: They’re not going to give that without negotiation. Does Israel recognise the right of pal people to have a state? Does Israel recognise that they’re not allowed to incorporate occupied territory into their state? It’s a breach of international law but they’re doing it. I mean the process needs to be negotiated to get some kind of settlement that moves the thing forward.
Hamas has had a cease fire for a considerable time and held to it, even though there’s been some Israeli attacks on Palestinians. To suggest that they have to give up everything before anyone can talk wasn’t done in the case of Northern Ireland; Britain didn’t say ‘you’ve got to give up your aspirations for a united Ireland now before we even talk’.
So that is a recipe for the breakdown of negotiations, even more anger and more and more people in the Middle east concluding that there’s no political route to justice and the only route is violence.
We have to deal sensibly with Hamas if we want to make progress.'
--End--
30/01/06
Realated Info:
posted by Anonymous @ 8:16 p.m.
2 comments
2 Comments:
Question arises, how can we provide legitimacy now to Hamas? Was at an excellent conference 2 weeks ago in Leicester organised by Friends of al-Aqsa and many of the speakers, especially the non-Muslims, spoke about the need to recognise Hamas.
See http://www.conflictsforum.com/ - these guys were excellent.
I think more and more people need to begin writing letters to newspapers, flying Hamas flags, wearing Hamas t-shirts, bringing Hamas representatives, anything and everything to show our solidarity.
Now this isnt as straightforward as may seem - Hamas are still officially a proscribed terrorist organisation and to do any of the above is punishable by 10 years imprisonment.
But this is where we need to have tawakkul 'ala Allah. We always dream of having an Islamic state or an Islamic government but each time when others come even close to establishing such, we cower away out of fear and then condemn these governments when they are forced to make difficult decisions.
I've just added the links to a video on Hamas:Behind the mask and an interview, too. Excellent content.
"When others come even close to establishing such, we cower away out of fear"
Horribly true.
The conflict forum seems to do some interesting work.
Post a Comment
<< Home