Peace but not at any cost

We witnessed the recent reconciliation of Hamas and the PLO which would apparently bring peace and stablility to the P.A thus ushering in a new era of peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. Nevertheless our hope has being proven to be naive since Jaled Mashal, chairman of Hamas´ Political Committee declared recently that :

” Our path is resistance and yihad our election…..There is no history nor future without yihad and resistance.”

If this is the feeling of the terrorist movement – and believe it is – then Israel and the international community – has few options left :

Either try to isolate hardliners and support the more non-confessional, more ” liberal ” PLO as happened in the 80s with the former Iron Curtain countries such as the former USSR or Poland where the West engaged in talks with moderate and open-minded Communists.
Or, if both Hamas and the PLO, support each other, just end the negotiation process altogether.

Ideally the first path should be chosen only if terrorism ceases, there is an explicit recognition of the State of Israel as a Jewish state and basic human rights are recognised such labour rights, minority rights ( religious freedoms which hardly exist, LGBT rights, rights for women,press freedom, etc..). It is surprising that some debates and comments I have heard of in the English, French and Spanish press, the left has decried the obligation of Palestinians to accept a liberal democracy but that is exactly what they asked us South Africans when we had a transition to democracy so I don´t see why the Palestinians should be an exception to the rule unless it is just for the sake of political correctness to extreme Islamic values which Hameas is so particular to.

So peace should always be the goal of any process but not at any cost for Israel- in the end hurried and botched negotiations only bring nightmares.