Hamas government offers Israel 'quiet for quiet'

I have always thought that the election of Hamas in Palestine was, on reflection, a very positive thing that would only aid eventual peace in the area. After all, Israel had wasted years attempting to get Arafat to stop violence that he actually had no control over, and now - with Hamas taking power - Israel had a chance to negotiate with the organ grinder rather than the monkey.

And now comes this:

Hamas has been sending go-betweens to Israel recently with an offer to reach an unofficial understanding on "quiet in return for quiet."

According to the proposal - conveyed to Israel by, among others, Egyptian envoys - Hamas would pledge not to carry out any violent actions against Israel and would even prevent other Palestinian organizations from doing so. Israel, for its part, would pledge by means of a third party not to take action against the organizations operating in the territories.

Hamas is even prepared to declare a unilateral hudna (cease-fire), should Israel not want to appear to be maintaining contact with a body that calls for its destruction. According to this offer, Israel is supposed to respond with positive measures of its own.

Inevitably, there are some Israeli hardliners who are dismissing this as a "trick" and proof that Hamas are only seeking time to re-arm.

I think this is extremely short-sighted. There is nothing to be lost from taking them at their word. Their future actions will attest, or deny, their sincerity. After all, unlike Arafat, these guys really do have the power to stop the violence.

Israel should grasp this olive branch.

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Tags: Israel, Palestine, cease-fire, Hamas, offer.