Hamas and Recognition

Check out Leila Mouammar's Blog http://blog.zmag.org/blog/20

I think the recognition issue has been handled badly, by both the PLO in 1988/1991, and by Hamas now. Both have played very badly in the west. The PLO's old position allowed western people to think that there was in fact no occupation. Hamas' position is now justifying Israeli unilateralism

I think we should neither rule out formal recognition nor give it for free at the beginning of the process. I think the best strategy for Palestine is to say something like :

- We are committed to a two state solution
- At the end of that process when two viable sovereign states are created there must be mutual recognition between them.
- But if Israel destroys the two state solution by settlements, land expropriation etc then Israel will become a de facto binational state, and we will seek equal rights (Israeli citizenship)
- there is a time limit on a two state solution - we are not going to wait forever and we are not going to allow it to be used as an empty slogan to perpetuate the occupation.

One other thought :

Palestine should say clearly that recognition means recognition of the fact of Israel's existence within a specified border. It does not mean approving or indemnifying every crime that Israel committed in the past.

ie When Nixon recognised the Peoples Republic of China he did not become a Communist, and when we recognise Israel we should not have to become Zionists