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Politics : Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kerry -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Skywatcher who wrote (72906)	2/5/2006 4:10:38 PM
From: ChinuSFO	Respond to of 81568

Interesting read: Hamas's new doctrine: talk to the Jews Martin Chulov, Middle East correspondent February 06, 2006 IN the Hamas mosques of Gaza, a new message is being preached, which underscores a creeping, critical shift in thinking. Friday prayers in the downtown militant stronghold bothered little with the outrage that has consumed the Muslim world over cartoons published in Europe depicting the prophet Mohammed. Instead, the sermons broadcast from speakers to crowds laying prayer mats on dusty streets addressed a more sensitive issue -- negotiating with Israel. For the first time since the dramatic ascension to power of their radical Islamic group, Hamas's spiritual leaders are daring to tread where their political figureheads will not. "It is not a crime to hold discussions with the Jews," said the imam of the al-Ghabi mosque, Abu Khalid. "The prophet has dealt with them in the past on many matters." With the head of Hamas in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, listening inside, the imam continued: "There is nothing wrong with talking to the Jewish when we have to. Outcomes have been negotiated with them throughout the history of Islam and, if need be, we will talk to them again." The message was a far cry from the implacable hostility Hamas has shown towards Israel in the 15 years it has been a militant force in the Holy Land. It seems to signal a strategic shift in the approach of its leadership that has subtly moderated its rhetoric since Hamas was thrust to power 12 days ago. Outside the mosque, the crowd of about 300 men and boys listened intently to the sermon, delivered in classical Arabic. None appeared to object to the words of the imam. And all those who spoke with The Australian seemed to regard negotiations with their mortal enemy as inevitable. The US, Europe, Russia, Jordan and Egypt have refused to deal with Hamas unless the new political force renounces its charter calling for Israel's destruction and disbands its militant wing. Hamas has so far refused to recognise the Jewish state formed 58 years ago on land it claims as the sovereign home of Palestinians. But, since the January 25 poll, it has also shown signs of willingness to move forward. Citing a Koranic backing is a pivotal step to winning community support for such a landmark change in mindset. A societal shift in attitude would make a political transformation much easier. The sensitivity is not lost on Mr Haniyeh, who politely refused to take the imam's words any further. "We don't want to be drawn into a Koranic discussion just yet," he told The Australian. "Right now we want to keep it at a political level. "However, it is true that there has been a dialogue in the past. The best time for the Jews was when they lived under the shadow of Islam in the Arab and Muslim countries. They had their businesses and lifestyles and no one bothered them. We don't have any enmity towards the Jews as such." Mr Haniyeh, considered a moderate in Hamas's new guard, said he accepted the apologies of the French and Danish governments after the publication of cartoons depicting Mohammed in their countries. "But freedom of speech does not mean attacking a religion, especially our religion," he said. Elsewhere in Gaza, the mood was far less forgiving. With almost every Westerner having left the restive strip, the few remaining faces were confronted with greetings in the language of the offending countries. "Parlez-vous Francaise?" several men asked menacingly at a massive anti-European rally downtown. Hamas's rise continues to trouble many in the region who fear the introduction of radical Islamic values. Hamas leaders are acutely touchy about perceptions that their stunning ascension will just as quickly transform Palestinian society into a fundamental Islamic state. Already, across Israel and the territories, there is plenty of street talk that drastic societal change is just over the horizon. The only brewery in the West Bank is foreshadowing removing alcohol from its product range, and Gaza's Yasser Arafat souvenir shop has taken a sudden liking to Hamas memorabilia. Israel claimed last week to have intercepted a fax from the Hamas leadership to Islamic clerics in Iran asking for guidance on how to introduce the pillars of an Islamic society into its new government. Hamas admits it was caught off guard by its election win, which will see it end up with 74 seats and a clear majority in the 132-seat Palestinian Legislative Council when a government is formed within a month. It also concedes it is at the bottom of a very steep learning curve when it comes to the question of what to do next. Former US President Jimmy Carter, now an international election monitor, said: "If you sponsor an election or promote democracy and freedom around the world, then when people make their own decision about their leaders, I think that all the governments should recognise that administration and let them form their government. "If there are prohibitions -- like, for instance, in the United States, against giving any money to a government that is controlled by Hamas -- then the United States could channel the same amount of money to the Palestinian people through the United Nations, through the refugee fund, through UNICEF, things of that kind."