Abbas sacks Hamas-led government

Lest we forget, the last time there were democratic elections in Gaza and the West Bank, the Palestinian people chose Hamas as their democratic representatives.

Then, after disgraceful pressure from the US and the EU, a coalition government was hastily put together to please the US and EU, a coalition which Israel instantly decided to ignore. Bush and Co then started supplying Abbas with a private militia in the hope that he would take on Hamas, a battle that has recently taken place, however, it has not had the result that Bush and Co desired. Hamas have emerged victorious, controlling the whole of the Gaza strip, and Abbas - the man whose party was NOT elected to lead the Palestinians - has dismissed the Hamas-led coalition government and declared a state of emergency.

Condi Rice assures us though that this is all perfectly legal:

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave her backing to Mr Abbas, saying he had exercised his "lawful authority". "We fully support him in his decisions to try to end this crisis for the Palestinian people and to give them an opportunity to return to peace and a better future," she said.

Make no mistake, the violence that we have recently witnessed in Gaza has been encouraged by Washington who have been arming one side in this dispute, hoping that Abbas' Fatah party could take on and defeat Hamas. The opposite has happened, and all hopes of a peaceful state of Palestine in Gaza and the West Bank now hangs by a thread.

The Bush administration described the Gaza events as "a source of profound concern", accusing Hamas of committing acts of terror. The EU suspended what few aid projects it still maintained there. The Arab League warned of a "disastrous outcome" to internecine fighting that has crackled on and off for more than six months.

The Hamas victory is widely seen as a boost for Iran and Syria, which have supported the militants, and a painful reversal for the pro-western regimes in Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which worry about Tehran's meddling in Iraq and Lebanon, as well as Palestine.

How much better off we would all have been had Israel, the US and the EU simply accepted the democratic choice of the Palestinian people and encouraged Israel to negotiate with the Hamas led government.

But no, typically for George Bush's disastrous administration, reality was viewed as something that could be overcome by sheer military power, once again he tested his theory that reality is power's bitch. Once again, his stubborn refusal to accept any reality which he finds uncomfortable has led to the situation worsening.

Palestinians see the Gaza crisis as the disastrous outcome of years of failure: of the Oslo peace process, Hamas's electoral win and the international sanctions imposed as a result. "If you have two brothers put into a cage and deprive them of basic essential needs for life, they will fight," said the Palestinian foreign minister, Ziad Abu Amr. Many say the Palestinian Authority is already effectively dead.

There are even fears that the violence could spread:

Jordan also fears intra-Palestinian fighting could spread from the West Bank and across the river into the kingdom, where at least half the population is of Palestinian origin. "Things have never been so bad," said one senior Arab diplomat.

Around 25 people were killed and 90 injured in yesterday's violence. Hospital staff said some of the dead had been shot in the head at close range.

Hamas gunmen took over the Palestinian Authority's security and military intelligence headquarters after a three-day siege. Sources close to the Palestinian president said Israel had ignored repeated requests to allow deliveries of ammunition to Palestinian Authority forces, leaving them outgunned by Hamas who have relied on smuggled munitions.

Abbas has said that he intends to carry out elections as soon as possible. What is the point of elections if the US, EU and Israel will only accept a result that pleases them? What kind of democracy are we engaging in here if we find the election of one party unacceptable and punish the Palestinians for daring to vote that way?

What is taking place in Gaza is a disaster, but it is a disaster that was entirely made by Washington and Tel Aviv's determined stance to ignore the democratic wishes of the Palestinian people.

We cannot claim we believe and wish to export democracy and then punish people who make a democratic choice which we disagree with. The result of such a policy is there for all to see on the streets of Gaza.

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Tags: Hamas, Fatah, Palestine, Israel, EU, US, Abbas, Olmert, Bush, West Bank, Gaza strip