Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom (Institute for Contemporary Affairs/Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) - * Despite the popular assumption that simply holding elections is a guarantee of moderation and responsible government, history is full of examples where democratic processes have been exploited by despots for very non-democratic purposes. * We must all reject the inclusion of Hamas in the Palestinian political system. There can be no place in a democratic society for a political party which bears arms, for a political party engaged in terrorism against the citizens of a neighboring country. No democratic regime can survive if it lets terrorism and politics proceed side by side. * Israel is working to implement as many steps as possible to ease conditions for the Palestinian population, and is working with the donor community, the World Bank, and the Quartet's Special Envoy for Disengagement, James D. Wolfensohn, to ensure that the maximum number of international actors are involved in the collective effort to rebuild the Palestinian economy. * There are some in the Arab world who see normalization of relations with Israel as a "prize" for Israel, but this is mistaken. While Israel can benefit from improved relations with its neighbors, Israel's standing in the international community and its economic well-being are not determined by its Arab neighbors. * The real and crucial benefit of the normalization process we seek will be felt on the Palestinian side - where it will strengthen the moderates and weaken the extremists, helping to expand constituencies for peace and build the necessary critical mass for further progress.
2005-06-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive