Palestinian group Hamas has softened its stance on Israel by dropping its longstanding call for Israel’s destruction. This was revealed in a policy document released in Doha on Monday by the group’s chief Khaled Meshaal, who also said the group would end its association with Muslim Brotherhood.
The news received wide coverage in the international media because Hamas has been known for its hardline policies on Israel and its occupation of Palestinian territories unlike Fatah led by Mahmoud Abbas which has been rated as very moderate. In another significant shift in its position, Meshaal said: “Hamas advocates the liberation of all of Palestine but is ready to support the state on 1967 borders without recognising Israel or ceding any rights.” The new policy document also comes two days before Abbas is due to visit Washington to meet Trump, where he will listen to new ideas for peace from the US president.
The Hamas change of stance must have come after intense deliberations at the top echelons of the organization and must have been influenced by the new realities emerging from the so-called Arab Spring and the election of pro-Israeli Republican Donald Trump as the President of America. The decision has evoked mixed reactions. It has been welcomed in the Arab world and by supporters of the Palestinian cause, while Israel reacted with suspicion and contempt, which isn’t surprising.
It’s normal for organisations to adapt to the changes around it, and while some do it faster, reaping the benefits, others take longer. Hamas has taken very long to accept the realities and the Palestinian cause would have benefited immensely if had diluted its hardline positions earlier.
One of the biggest hurdles to the realization of the Palestinian dream has been the disunity among them, with Fatah and Hamas transforming themselves into mutual enemies to the comfort of Israel. Reacting to the change of stance, a Fatah spokesman said that Hamas has taken decades to join Fatah in accepting a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, a position Hamas used to criticise Fatah for.
Hamas wants to make itself more acceptable to western countries by stepping back from its fiery positions. But it will have to do more, and the group needs to take a critical look at its past policies assessing the future which is staring at it. What the Palestinian cause needs today is unity between Fatah and Hamas. With the US electing a president who is unabashedly supporting every atrocity and land-grabbing of Benjamin Netanyahu, the options have narrowed for Palestinians, unlike they choose to unite for their cause.
