Newspaper
La Nación ( The Nation)
Buenos Aires – Saturday, January 28 of 2006
Opinion
A democratic example (view)
By
Suhail Hani Daher Akel *
For La Nacion
It took twelve long hours, where –one time more- it was proven the Palestinian people’ s maturity with regard to the compromise with their laws and democracy in spite of the fact that they are living under the occupation.
The lukewarm sun and peaceful elections do not seem to coincide with the exaggerated international earthquake which has taken place as a result of the legitimate triumph of Hamas. It was not a surprise. It was foreseeable. For a long time, Hamas has been gaining ground to the point of reaching a triumph due to the Israeli actions. The world –mainly the United States- has given place to this advancement. Israel has done everything possible to make fail the policy of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Al-Fatah. Yasser Arafat died because of Israel, which knew that it would make reel the Palestinian plans. Before the international silence, Israel infringed all laws and all the accords which have been signed since 1993, built illegal walls and settlements, killed leaders from Al-Fatah and Hamas and subdued Palestinians. Tired from the terrorism of the State of Israel, there was a tendency towards Hamas.
It is amazing that the attention always focuses on the Palestinian side. Hamas’ triumph meant an upheaval. However, nobody became shocked when the present extreme right won in Israel. When Ariel Sharon –a person accused of war crimes and judged in Belgium- came to power, nobody raised its voice. The 4,168 Palestinians’ killings which took place during his mandate were hushed up in the same way. Israelis’ rhetoric myths with regard to terrorism are well known and it is usual for some people to confuse it with the resistance against the occupation. Hamas is the winner and the internal issue with Al-Fatah may have a quick solution. But the world and Israel must respect the Palestinian decision, just as president Abu Mazen, who is committed to continuing the dialogue with Israel, respected it.
It is necessary not to go on taking the wrong way. UN must immediately recognise a Palestine State, just as it is requested in its resolution of 1947 and as it recognised Israel when it became unilaterally a State. It is necessary not to pressure to hamper Hamas’ way, just as the Al-Fatah’ s way was hampered, and not to give time to Israel in order for it to go on strangling the Palestinian geography and its people. The United States and Europe must encourage this democracy and help the Palestinian people to be free and independent, and not to live surrounded for myths, walls, settlers and occupation forces.
*
The author is the Palestine Ambassador in Argentina
