Hamas Is Stuck With Its Pretensions

In the November 2006 issue of Commentary, Amir Taheri writes on the topic of Iran about those who propose dialog with Iran--on the model of Nixon and China. Taheri writes:

The Islamic Republic is not in that position, or anywhere near it. In fact, precisely because it bases its legitimacy as a revolutionary power in the teachings of Islam, something it does not fully control in doctrinal terms, it cannot abandon its revolutionary pretensions as easily as did the Maoist in Beijing, who "owned" their own ideology and could alter it at will. [p. 24]

Hamas also casts itself as a Islamic revolutionary government--and in the face of the economic boycott relies on Iranian funding. While not all Palestinian Arabs are happy with the prospect of Sharia law, they still support Hamas over Fatah.

The role they have locked themselves into undercuts the claim that by winning an election Hamas has magically reinvented itself as a legitimate democratic government.

It also helps explain their steadfastness in refusing any recognition of Israel, even at the expense of turning Palestinian officials into couriers, while the situation in Gaza deteriorates even further.

Technorati Tag: Hamas and Iran.