Debate of the Week - How to deal with Hamas?

The victory of Hamas in the recent parliamentary elections in the Palestinian territories has split the international community. The European Union and the United States regard Hamas as a terrorist organization, and have threatened to withdraw aid from the Palestinian Authority. Many in the Arab world, on the other hand, have accused the West of double standards. Hamas, they say, was democratically elected, and should be afforded all the respect and recognition of a legitimate government. In our first debate of the week, we are asking: how to deal with Hamas? The positions of our two lead contributors, though from different sides of the Middle Eastern divide, are not miles apart. Yezid Sayigh, a former Palestinian negotiator and Professor in Middle Eastern Studies, spells out a proposal for constructive engagement, arguing that Hamas should be given a chance to prove itself. Shlomo Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister, believes that the victory of Hamas’ offers a unique opportunity, which could make further Israeli withdrawals from the occupied territories possible. A Different Paradigm by Shlomo Ben-Ami Constructive Engagement by Yezid Sayigh What’s your view?