(Jerusalem Post) Editorial - The Palestinian election has ended up being a no-contest, due to Marwan Barghouti bowing out of the race. And before Barghouti did so, Hamas had already decided to shun the presidential election. No Israeli would have backed such a candidacy, but the way to verify that the views of those who condone violence have actually been rejected is not by preventing their running - but by having them run, then seeing them lose. A Palestinian leadership that does not win the people's support in a clear democratic contest will be powerless when it comes time to make the kind of concessions that peace, or even just non-belligerency, inevitably demand. We hope to be proven wrong, but prospects are high that Abbas will be intimidated by opponents who will enjoy the benefits of maximum authority and minimum responsibility.
2004-12-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive