Bin Laden’s death a dilemma for Palestinian benefactors

[King_David]

Bin Laden’s death a dilemma for Palestinian benefactors



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BY FRIDA GHITIS

[e-mail]


Life can throw the most interesting ironies and dilemmas in our path. Consider the events of the last few days: When President Obama announced that U.S. forces had found and killed Osama bin Laden, the reaction around the globe was almost uniformly one of rejoicing. Congratulations poured in from world capitals as people on all continents said the killing had struck a blow for peace.

Not everyone agreed, of course; that was to be expected. But the really interesting moment came when the leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas broke with the prevailing sentiment, praising bin Laden as a “holy warrior” and condemning the United States for killing him. The reason this is so fascinating is that the fervently anti-American and pro-bin Laden statement from Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas in Gaza, came exquisitely timed to put Washington and Western nations on the spot.

The United States, the European Union, Canada and Japan have labeled Hamas a terrorist organization. Obama just declared, and the world agreed with him, that terrorists must be brought to justice, whatever it takes. But only a few days ago, Hamas signed a unity agreement with its rival Fatah, which leads the Palestinian Authority. The PA receives $600 million a year from Washington on top of hundreds of millions more from Europe and elsewhere. What are the Palestinians’ benefactors to do now?

Some will rush to draw a distinction between Hamas and other terrorist groups because when Hamas has murdered civilians, as it has by the hundreds, it aims to kill Israelis. But following this path would expose hypocrisy in its vilest form.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/05/2203190/bin-ladens-death-a-dilemma-for.html#ixzz1LWaOdB9Q

[King_David]

1. ../more

`The United States and its allies should take a close look at the Hamas charter. They must decide if they want to fund a Palestinian government that includes an organization whose guiding document repeatedly calls not just for the destruction of Israel but says “Fight the Jews, and kill them.”

This kind of ideology should have been forever buried in 1945.

If simple morality doesn’t make the check-writers catch their breath, then the law should. The American statute governing aid to the PA requires, among other things, that PA government members explicitly recognize Israel’s right to exist.`


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/05/2203190/bin-ladens-death-a-dilemma-for.html#ixzz1LWb0WZ00

[oberliner]

2. Perhaps Hamas will reinvent themselves

Change who the fundamentally are as an organization in the face of current realities.

Abandon terrorism, embrace non-violence, recognize Israel.