The least worst option

Editorial

“Today is Gaza. Tomorrow will be Ramallah and after that Jerusalem then Haifa and Jaffa,” exiled Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal told a rally in Gaza on the first night of Chanukah, which happened to coincide with the terrorist group’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

At Gaza Islamic University the next day, Meshaal vowed to never recognize the state of Israel and to continue to “free the land of Palestine inch by inch.” He also made it clear that Hamas does “not accept the two-state solution.”

Especially concerning were Meshaal’s comments that Hamas and Fatah are not alternatives to one another but partners. “Hamas needs Fatah and Fatah needs Hamas,” he said, a statement confirmed by the Hamas anniversary celebrations that were held in the West Bank, festivities that were sanctioned by the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority.

Meshaal’s message was not particularly surprising, nor was the near-complete silence from Western or other world leaders. The European Union only bothered to rouse itself on Monday to call these remarks “unacceptable” after Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called the international community to task for their silence.

In its statement, the EU noted its “fundamental commitment to the security of Israel, including with regard to vital threats in the region,” adding that it “will never stop opposing those who embrace and promote violence as a way to achieve political goals.”

Of more concern to the EU, if the length of statement is any indication, seems to be Israel’s plans to construct 3,000 homes east of Jerusalem, about which the EU, among other statements, said it is “deeply dismayed by and strongly opposes.”

One doesn’t have to agree with Israel’s construction plans to see that there is truth to Netanyahu’s claim that there is a double-standard when it comes to Israel: “We cannot accept that when Jews build homes in their ancient capital, Jerusalem, the international community has no problem finding its voice, but when Palestinian leaders openly call for the destruction of Israel, the one and only Jewish state, the world is silent.”

Unfortunately for Israel, Meshaal’s pronouncements were not the only developments over the weekend. There are reports that Syria might deploy chemical weapons in its 20-month-long war against its own people, and Israel, with which it shares a border, is tracking Syria’s non-conventional weapons stocks closely. In Egypt, there is mounting instability as Mohamed Morsi’s government faces mass protests over its recent power grab. As well, Jordan’s King Abdullah II paid a visit to the West Bank last week – a few weeks after his country faced violent internal protests – to show support for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ success at getting the United Nations General Assembly to recognize the Palestinians as a non-member state. And, of course, Iran is busy developing nuclear weapons, in addition to helping fund Hamas’ rearmament after its recent war with Israel.

The Chanukah story could not be more relevant. Indeed, things seem pretty dismal for the present-day Maccabees. Despite appearances, however, Israel is operating from a position of strength on more than one front and has many assets, if not allies, on which to draw.

Of course, Israel has strong defensive abilities and has proven capable of defending its citizens. While the centrepiece of Saturday’s rally in Gaza City was reportedly a large replica of one of the rockets Hamas fired at Israel last month, the truth is that Israel’s targeted air strikes and Iron Dome reduced their impact to a minimum.

As well, while that rocket replica apparently had “Made in Gaza” written on it, Gaza is not known for making much else. It has really no economy or anything else to recommend a bright future for its people. Israel, however, has a robust economy, a lively democracy, an established legal system, a vibrant cultural scene, a healthy social welfare system and more. Israel, with further investment in its most powerful assets – its people, including and perhaps most notably in this context, Arab Israelis – will accomplish even more than it already has, if it continues to empower and fully enfranchise all of its citizens, regardless of religion, ethnicity, sex, age, language or ability.

Israel has also managed to sustain a relatively stable relationship with the PA in the past few years. Unlike the rocket-happy intransigent Hamas, the PA has proven that it can create some semblance of a functioning civil society, one that works with Israel (on security and on economic and industrial development, for example), even as it holds its nose.

As difficult as negotiating with “moderates” may be to swallow, especially when they aren’t eager to come to the table, the PA is the best – and only – partner Israel has at the moment, sadly. Hamas is sworn to destroy the Jewish state, as Meshaal repeated clearly over the weekend, and we should take him at his word. It would be a serious blow to both Israel and the Palestinians living in the West Bank if the PA were to embrace Hamas’ overtures to unite.

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