Recognition isn't the key

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the only one where the US is still maintaining an ideological approach. Hamas came to power through democratic elections that Washington called for, contrary to assessments by Israeli intelligence sources and the judgment of Mahmoud Abbas, with whom the US and Israeli governments are seeking favor.

Part 1: Afghanistan

Part 2: North Korea

Part 3: Iran

While President Bush approved a sharp political change of direction enabling direct negotiations with North Korea, under favorable conditions for the North Koreans, and while the US sits at the table in Baghdad with Syria and Iran (the only remaining parties in the "axis of evil" ) – the administration is flexing its muscles against the Palestinians and is demanding that Hamas recognize Israel as a precondition for legitimacy.  

The US and Israel are continuing their efforts to embolden Fatah and to convince its leader, Abbas, to oppose Hamas. According to intelligence estimates, there is no chance of Fatah subduing Hamas and ruling the Palestinian authority single handedly. The Saudis, who initiated the Mecca Agreement, also hold this view and granted equal standing to both Palestinian camps in the eyes of the Arab world.

Egypt also espouses the agreement and is making its presence felt in the Gaza Strip at Israel's request since Israel's disengagement from the Strip. But above all, Abbas does not want to go down in the history of his people as a man who led to a bloody civil war, and no Israeli-American pressure can force him to do so.

Arab world recognizes Israel

Israel and the US have so far succeeded in getting the world demand three conditions for granting Hamas legitimacy – a commitment to ratify previous Palestinian Authority agreements, prevention of any violence from the Territories, and recognition of Israel. The first two commitments are reasonable and imperative conditions. The third is superfluous.  

Israeli-American policies are unable to prompt developments in the Palestinian Authority that would minimize the violence carried out against Israel and they are not preventing massive flow of arms into the Gaza Strip. The American ideological approach is politically unwise and inefficient in practice. The Europeans and Russians are already eating away at it and it won't last in the long term.

The entire Arab world actually recognizes Israel and is preparing to engage in further talks with us, and this is what's important and significant today. The new Arab initiative calling for negotiations with Israel comprises conditions that are unacceptable to us. We are not obligated to accept them. Why doesn't the prime minister suggest coming to an Arab summit and sitting at the table with the litigators? What does he have to lose?

The new American pragmatism, which is blowing in our region as well, calls for Israel – more than ever - to demand that a place be reserved for it at the table in every conference or forum where issues pertaining to Israel's destiny are being discussed. If negotiations are held with Iran over its nuclear plans, we should be there. We must be present in every place where the issues of our region are being discussed. Only we know how to adequately present our interests as a sovereign state and not as a protégé.

These are the crucial matters, rather than the pointless campaign aimed at receiving a kosher certificate signed by Hamas' Khaled Mashaal.