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Hamas' Victory Will Not Bolster Terror

(Ynet News) Yitzhak Ben-Yisrael - What additional power will government bring Hamas? What will it be able to do that it can't already do? We must understand that the problem is the threat to everyday life that comes from suicide bombers. Only following a long and painful process did we learn our lesson and begin to build a policy of action that brought about a drastic reduction in the number of suicide attacks in Israel. This policy included extensive diplomatic initiatives, isolating terror commanders, reoccupying the West Bank, widescale arrests, and targeted interceptions of central terror operatives. All these brought about a Hamas decision to declare a unilateral ceasefire - not because they suddenly saw the light of Zionism, but rather because of pressure. The Palestinians have proven time and again that when faced with a choice between radical ideology and pragmatic compromise, they do not necessarily choose compromise. Hamas' victory in free elections does not represent a change in the Palestinian position or show that they have moved to the extreme. It only reveals their true feelings. Israelis must understand that this is the will of most Palestinians. We must understand this is an ongoing fight that will continue for many years, and the most dangerous enemy we face is not terrorism (we can beat that), but rather self-deception. Gen. (Res.) Prof. Yitzhak Ben-Yisrael is the head of the Security Studies Program at Tel Aviv University.
2006-02-10 00:00:00
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