The world in which diplomats live is not the same world in which you and I live. These people think that wishing and hoping Hamas will change is going to change them from terrorists whose charter stipulates that a Jewish conspiracy controls the world (based on the forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion), that Israel must be destroyed, that “Palestine” is an Islamic waqf now until the end of days—to a group that will meekly accept living in a Palestinian state, side-by-side with Israel, and with the Arab part of Jerusalem as its capital. Yes, these people think that Hamas will accept not having total control over the Temple Mount, over which they built the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock—in spite of Hamas’ charter explicitly stating that will never happen.
Five former State Department and Pentagon officials are proposing Israeli and Palestinian capitals in Jerusalem and excluding Arab refugees from returning to Israel as part of an Middle East accord.
In a six-page policy statement submitted to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, they also suggested a series of peace conferences following the one she hopes to convene next month, probably in Annapolis, Maryland, near Washington.
Hamas, which controls Gaza and about one-third of Palestinian-held land, has not met US terms for attending. Those conditions are recognizing Israel’s right to exist and abandoning violence against the Jewish state.
But the ex-officials suggested Hamas might be drawn to attend a second conference, which implicitly would accept the first one and Israel’s existence. They called the role of Hamas the most difficult issue in peacemaking.
Once again, just in case you think Hamas might truly moderate, let’s check out their charter:
The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. Neither a single Arab country nor all Arab countries, neither any king or president, nor all the kings and presidents, neither any organization nor all of them, be they Palestinian or Arab, possess the right to do that. Palestine is an Islamic Waqf land consecrated for Moslem generations until Judgement Day.
These diplomats will fail, as long as they refuse to recognize Hamas for the irridentist terrorist organization it is. Hamas will never moderate. Hamas will never accept Israel. The question, of course, is whether or not any Palestinians—or the rest of their Muslim neighbors—will truly accept Israel in the middle of the Islamic world.
Too many of these so called diplomats have nothing invested in the process. They pass through Israel and the surrounding areas as quickly as possible and render judgment based upon Western values and logic.
The problem is that their experience and logic is not in line with the people they are trying to help.
The problem is that their experience and logic is not in line with the people they are trying to help.
The problem is that they are mostly spineless. John Bolton knows the score and is a notable exception.
The problem is, if John Bolton can know the score, so can the others. Who’s paying them to look the other way?
The underlying problem is that there are no moderate Palestinians for Hamas to change to be like.
I’m reminded of something Perot said during one of his campaigns. That in Washington, there’s this belief that speaking equates to doing. People talk about all kinds of things, and then they do nothing else, believing that the action has already been taken and executed to success, simply as a result of their speech.
That’s why there’s so much hot air floating about here. The people involved seriously think that the problems will magically go away on their own if only they talk some more. Even if nobody is listening.