When It Comes To Israel, Those Realists Are Such Dreamers

The latest from Roger Cohen includes the necessity of talking with Hamas:

Clinton also indicated an important shift on Hamas, which the State Department calls a terrorist group. While stressing that no funds would flow to Hamas “or any entity controlled by it,” she argued for keeping American options open on a possible Palestinian unity government between the moderate Fatah and Hamas.

So long as a unity government meets three conditions — renounces violence, recognizes Israel’s right to exist and abides by past agreements — the United States would be prepared to deal with it, including on $900 million in proposed aid, Clinton indicated. Washington does business with a Lebanese government in which Hezbollah controls 11 of 30 seats, although Hezbollah is also deemed a terrorist group.

First of all, when it comes to the $900 million that the US is talking about providing Gaza, there apparently have been no preconditions applied (such as stopping terrorist attacks)--since the money is intended to rebuild Gaza, one would assume that time is of the essence and waiting for Hell to freeze over is not an option.

In any case, Cohen's mantra about the '3 conditions' conveniently overlooks the fact that Hamas continues to say, "We cannot, we will not, and we will never recognize the enemy in any way, shape or form." For some reason, the more Hamas refuses to honor the 3 conditions, the more devoutly the apologists repeat this magic formula.

Also odd is Cohen's comparison of Hamas with Hizbollah--while Cohen makes clear he wants to see Hamas as part of a unity party, the fact is that it is not, while Lebanon is an established country, albeit with the Hizbollah cancer firmly attached.

Such a changed U.S. policy makes a lot more sense than the previous one, which insisted on Hamas itself — rather than any Palestinian unity government — meeting the three conditions. No peace can be made by pretending Hamas does not exist, which is why advancing Palestinian unity must be a U.S. priority.

This sensible shift will anger Israel, although it deals indirectly with Hamas through Egypt. Israel’s de jure stand on Hamas — that it must recognize Israel before any talks begin — is wildly at odds with Israel’s de facto methodology since 1948.

Roger Cohen is also fixated on the magical unity government of Hamas and Fatah (maybe because they both have Charters calling for the destruction of Israel?). Perhaps Cohen has also forgotten some simple history:

Hamas won a Palestinian legislative election in 2006, forming a unity government with Fatah that was dissolved by Abbas after the Islamists seized control of Gaza in 2007

But then again, the road to peace in the Middle East appears strewn with failed ideas that 'realists' remain eager to try again and again.

And why is it that those who say you cannot ignore Hamas seem intent to ignore the history of Hamas' terrorism against their fellow Palestinian Arabs--making the Human Rights Watch report about Hamas all the more important:

This 26-page report documents a pattern since late December 2008 of arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, maimings by shooting, and extrajudicial executions by alleged members of Hamas security forces. The report is based on interviews with victims and witnesses in Gaza and case reports by Palestinian human rights groups.

Read the whole thing.

Alas, Roger Cohen bewails Israel's de facto methodology since 1948 and how it differs from today, totally ignoring that Israel's approach to Arab countries who make war on Israel differs from its approach to dealing with terrorist groups who attack its citizens.

Cohen writes about Hillary Clinton's pirouette--that's nothing compared to the somersaults that he goes through.

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