JINSA Report #525 Elections in the PA

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October 21, 2005

JINSA Report #525

Elections in the PA

We HATE to admit it, but Abu Mazen had a fair point in his conversation
with President Bush yesterday. Arguing against a ban on Hamas
participation in the upcoming election, Abu Mazen said that prohibiting
an organization with substantial support in the territories would make
the election fraudulent in the eyes of the voters. It would look like
bending to American and/or Israeli pressure and, as such, would increase
support for Hamas at the expense of Abu Mazen. Administration
officials, appeared to agree, saying the U.S. wouldn't "write election
laws for the Palestinians." Fair as far as it goes, but of course it
doesn't go far enough.

President Bush in the Rose Garden commended former World Bank President
James Wolfensohn's "broad effort to generate economic and financial
support from the international community… he's doing a good job." Mr.
Wolfensohn, remember, is the man who, using his own and other people's
money, bought $14 million worth of Israeli greenhouses that generated
tens of millions of dollars in profits and provided jobs for nearly
12,000 Palestinian workers at their peak. Within 24 hours of the
disengagement, Mr. Wolfensohn watched his investment in the Palestinian
future wrecked by Palestinians. We find it ironic that he was made to
sit through the President's promise of more and better aid. Ironic too
was Mr. Bush's cheery thank you to Lt. Gen. William Ward, senior U.S.
security coordinator in the PA. "I appreciate your service, General
Ward. Thank you for being here, and thank you for all your hard work to
help the Palestinian security forces at a critical time. Job well done."
Gen. Ward, remember, is the man who told Congress last month that the
PA security forces had met NONE of his requirements, even those that
would have resulted in additional money.

What if we combine the political and economic threads? Instead of
promising bigger and better American economic and security support
regardless of Palestinian behavior, what if the U.S. simply informs Abu
Mazen and the Palestinian people that in the future, there will be
consequences for their choices?

Hamas will be on the January ballot; neither the U.S. nor Israel can
prevent it. But the people should understand – and the US should use
its ability to make it understood – that we will not deal with a Hamas
government, nor Hamas officials in a Fatah government. We will not
support Ministries with Hamas Ministers. We will not support programs in
cities with Hamas mayors or city councils. We will not train PA
security forces that have Hamas members – or members of any armed force
loyal to any except the central authority, and only that if the central
authority has no Hamas members in it.

Unfair? No. Hamas may be acceptable to parts of the Palestinian
public, which is surely because Fatah has proven itself contemptible,
but it is unacceptable to United States. Our government is under no
obligation to support governments with violent, racist officials.
Racist parties were banned in Europe after WWII and the American Nazi
Party cannot run candidates in American elections. There is a big
difference between writing Palestinian election rules and agreeing in
advance to support with American political and financial aid any rotten
government the people elect.

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