Is Hamas Preparing the Ground for a Compromise??

The Hamas movement announced that PA ministers would cease their activities within the Hamas movement (Regular, Ha’aretz, 4/7/06). Government representatives requested that the new government be referred to as the “PA Government” and not the “Hamas Government” (Rubinstein, Ha’aretz, 4/10/06).

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The Re’ut Institute contends that these declarations could be the first stage in a strategy designed to break off the international coalition against Hamas.

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What is the Issue?

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• Israel and the international community presented the Palestinians with three demands: to recognize Israel, to reaffirm existing agreements and to end violence.​

• The international coalition, created to pressure Hamas to accept these demands, has significantly decreased economic assistance to the PA.​

• However, these actions could severely obstruct Palestinian economic activity and result in a humanitarian crisis or the dismantling of the PA.​

• Moreover, should Hamas accept the demands or cede control over the PA, the PA’s ability to govern may be substantially damaged.​

• The worse the economic situation in the PA becomes, the less stable the international coalition will be. There are already signs that it is beginning to unravel: see actions by Russia, France, China and India.​

• Therefore, if Israel does not want to be held responsible for a humanitarian crisis or face the collapse of the PA, it needs to seek a way out from the maze.