US Congress works to ban Hamas (contrary to Bush administration policy)

The Jerusalem Post ^ | 24 November 2005 | Nathan Guttman

[anotherview]

Nov. 24, 2005 17:56 | Updated Nov. 24, 2005 18:22
US Congress works to ban Hamas
By NATHAN GUTTMANM
Washington

Hamas members were arrested from three separate cells in the Hebron area.
Photo: AP [file]

While the US administration has agreed to accept the participation of Hamas activists in the Palestinian elections, Congress is working on a resolution that will ban Hamas from taking part in the election process and that threatens that the relations between the Palestinian Authority and the US would be damaged if the PA does not disarm Hamas.

House Resolution 575 was introduced last Friday by a group of Republican and Democratic congressmen and was referred to the House International Relations committee. A similar letter is circulating now in Senate.

The resolution asserts that terrorist groups such as the Hamas should not be allowed to take part in the elections and calls on Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas to declare, prior to the elections, his intention to dismantle the terrorist organizations operating in the territories.

The most significant provision in the suggested resolution threatens Abbas with losing US support if he allows Hamas to take part in the elections before disarming and before recognizing Israel's right to exist. The resolution notes that including Hamas in the process "will inevitably raise serious policy considerations for the United States" and adds that it could "undermine the continued ability of the United States to provide financial assistance and conduct normal relations the Palestinian Authority."

Even if this resolution passes congress, it still does not have much practical significance, because foreign policy issues are determined by the administration, not by congress. Yet the fact that US lawmakers are threatening to curb financial assistance to the PA is noteworthy, because any authorization of foreign aid assistance needs to go through congress.

The US administration has reluctantly agreed to allow the Hamas take part in the January elections after Abbas convinced President George W. Bush that he could not take on the group before the elections. Israel has also made clear it would not intervene even if Hamas candidates take part in the process.

Pro-Israel activists on Capitol Hill are supporting the new resolution, pointing out that it can send Abbas a strong message and make him know that "he is facing a problem after the elections" if he allows the Hamas to participate.

[anotherview]

This shows that members of Congress from both parties have more good sense than the President or Secretary Rice on this issue.

[anotherview]

ping

[kajingawd]

well said...at least it looks like that so far.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

..........................................

The Saudi's will be offended.

[anotherview]

The Saudi's will be offended.

...and I am terribly sorry about that. [/end biting sarcasm]

[adam_az]

" The Saudi's will be offended."

They feel like they're not getting their moneys worth.... they already financed the State Department returement plan... now they'll have to pay for the retirement of hundreds more congressmen too!

[sheik yerbouty]

we mustn't offend the effendis..("It was the Saudis all along")

[K-oneTexas]

I'm seeing both sides of this one. I'm not sure either action is good however both are valid options to be explored.

Hamas is a terrorist organization. Who until lately has been working their best unconventional warfare against Israel for decades. In many ways still are even though they have been given a elevated status along with the PLO, a terrorist organization pretty much cut from the same mold.


This Congressional Resolution kind-a sort-a places the mantle of terrorist on them and keeps them out of the political process/arena. The Administration has said they are terrorists (US SecState Foreign Terrorist Organization's listing for years) but brings them into the political process/arena.


Maybe in doing so there can be a change affected in the organization itself. This process may well shed light on the organization for the whole world to see and to see if they can work with it or must work against it. Also it will cause Hamas to succeed or fail in something they have no knowledge of ... governing peoples and/or a nation. If they have the backing of their electorate.


Two edge sword? To be sure for all involved.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

"This shows that members of Congress from both parties have more good sense than the President or Secretary Rice on this issue."

And that isn't saying much either.

[anotherview]

From my Israeli perspective there is absolutely no good that can come from Hamas participation. None at all.

[SJackson]

This Congressional Resolution kind-a sort-a places the mantle of terrorist on them and keeps them out of the political process/arena.

You're right. But they've been designated as a terrorist organization under US law for years. We've sent people to jail and closed "religious institutions" in the US for supporting them. That's proper. That Congress should have to pass a resolution reminding the administration of these things is sad.

[SJackson]

From my Israeli perspective there is absolutely no good that can come from Hamas participation. None at all.

Sure there is. It's illegal for American's to contribute to Hamas. But as part of the government we can send them our tax dollars. No harm (other than dead Jews), no foul.

[K-oneTexas]

You are correct and I stated that in my reply.

One way to bring the leaders out (not just the public face, i.e., Arafat and his successor) is to highlight the organization. In doing this you see how and who runs the show. In highlighting them we get to watch them.

The SecState has designated terrorist organizations for years and at times we have used them to fulfill our purpose.

[K-oneTexas]

I agree with your statement. Unfortunately I don't think we can let them (terrorists) hide under a rock forever. The Administration should have keep within their line as set by the SecState on terrorist organization for decades. The Congress should learn to govern and legislate for the good of its citizens. Both branches will always attempt to prove who is dominant. Sometimes in the most unfortunate of ways.

Congress under the Constitution does not set foreign policy and there is no treaty to be ratified. But Congress will always try to upstage an Administration to get higher ground before the electorate, regardless of the parties involved or the time in history.

The PLO and its successors should have accepted the UN Mandate back in 1947 and they would have a Palestinian State today. But if memory serves they got greedy back then and wanted more rather than agreeing to an equal portion. Even with that I do not know that we still would not be where we are today.

The Israelis, the Jewish people, have always faced an uphill battle and despicable treatment at the hands of many peoples. They must be 'Gods chosen people' as they do survive.

[gcruse]

State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher explains why blowing up Israelis different than blowing up Americans

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

Richard Boucher, Spokesman

Washington, DC; September 27, 2001

...

QUESTION: To what extent does this campaign -- as you constantly review your Middle East policy, what -- how much influence does this campaign against terrorism have in that? What's the input? How does it weigh in here? See what I mean?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I don't.

QUESTION: It's obviously a factor --

MR. BOUCHER: We have talked about this on and off over the last few days. We recognize that there is an influence. Some have said it affects the atmosphere, the Palestinian/Israeli issues affect the atmosphere of cooperation. But, essentially, there are, on some planes, two different things. One is that there are violent people trying to destroy societies, ours, many others in the world. The world recognizes that and we are going to stop those people.

On the other hand, there are issues and violence and political issues that need to be resolved in the Middle East, Israelis and Palestinians. But we all recognize that the path to solve those is through negotiation and that we have devoted enormous efforts to getting back to that path of negotiation.

And we have called on the parties to do everything they can, particularly in the present circumstance, to make that possible.

I guess that's about as close as I can come to the kind of sophisticated analysis I'm sure you will want to do on your own. But they are clearly issues that are different, not only in geography but also, to some extent, in their nature.

[Napoleon Solo]

Eff the Saudis and all that they stand for!!

[anotherview]

B..b..b...but they're the President's buddies. You can't mean that. [/sarcasm]

[SJackson]

Thanks for reminding me of that rather disgusting comment. News for Richard Boucher, there are issuses between al Qaida and the US that need to be resolved too.

[gcruse]

The disgusting thing is that just weeks after 9/11, this was Bush administration policy. It's sad to see we are drifting back into it by prettifying Hamas. I thought getting rid of Secretary Powell put paid to pandering to the PA.

[Turborules]

We have a winner...you have defined the conundrum that is HAMAS, and this push pull policy is the strategy...moving Hamas to the left, nearer the center is the Goal...the reality is that Israel respond to any breach of peace with swift and sure retribution and continued targeting of the HAMAS Hateship It really is much the same idea of Republicans beating defeating the hatefull ideology of Dims with Reason and Truth