Dear Secretary Rice:

Last week, you failed to obtain commitments from Arab countries to attend the upcoming peace conference in Annapolis. You said, however, that

“If we work hard to resolve these issues, I think we have a reasonable chance of success in moving forward on the vision of two states living side by side in peace and freedom.”

Meanwhile, Gaza is deteriorating. The people of Gaza are caught between violence and a humanitarian crisis in a cycle which, unless serious steps are taken, will only propagate more of the same.

Yet even though Israeli Prime Minister Olmert is willing to negotiate deals with Hezbollah, you are excluding Gaza from the peace process because you refuse to deal with Hamas. Even as Hamas embraces more moderate rhetoric, you hold to the same message the world has heard for years now:

“We’ve been very clear what the criteria are for involvement in this process. If you’re going to have a two-state solution, you have to accept the right of the other party to exist. If you’re going to have a two-state solution that is born of negotiation, you’re going to have to renounce violence.”

I guess your “hard work” doesn’t include listening to what Hamas says. You, like many others, prefer to accept statements made in the charter Hamas wrote in 1988 - during the first Intifada, in a context of violence - instead of acknowledging that the Hamas of 2007 is a sophisticated, disciplined political organization. Is Hamas a model group of leaders for the Palestinian people? Are they ideal partners for peace negotiations? The answer to these questions is no. But we should talk to them anyway, because talking does not mean condoning, legitimating, or accepting - it’s just talking. As the Christian Science Monitor wrote after Hamas’ victories in the 2006 legislative elections in Palestine,

The strong internal discipline within Hamas, as opposed to the indiscipline and factionalism within Fatah, indicates that a strong Hamas leadership can be a more effective participant in peace diplomacy than the Fatah leadership has ever been. (Interestingly, this view has been expressed even by some Israelis.)

Hamas desires the creation of a Palestinian state. According to your statements, so do you. I believe that if Hamas was convinced an independent Palestine would soon be created, they would agree to recognize Israel. They have indicated their willingness to do so explicitly and implicitly since the late 1990s. Here is only one example:

After its unexpected landslide election victory in January [2006], Hamas said it would not retreat from its goal of replacing the Jewish state with an Islamic one. It also resisted negotiations.

But the group backed down after a threat by Mr Abbas to hold a referendum on the issue as a means to end crippling economic sanctions imposed by foreign donors until Hamas recognises Israel, renounces violence and agrees to abide by agreements in which the Palestine Liberation Organisation accepts a two-state solution. Opinion polls suggested Hamas would lose a referendum, because most Palestinians support negotiations with Israel.

Mr Abbas’s aides described Hamas’s endorsement of the agreement, drawn up by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, as a “surrender to reality” and “showing the world that the Palestinians are partners for peace.”

Are you unable to comprehend the subtleties of this situation, Ms. Rice? If you ask Hamas to renounce its founding charter, it will refuse. But in this case, we are concerned with actions, not words. If you bring them to the table, they will play ball. If they play ball, the peace efforts stand a greater chance of succeeding.

As for renouncing violence, we need some honesty here. Have you asked Fatah to renounce violence?

Secretary Rice, call Hamas’ bluff. Invite them to the talks. If I am wrong, and they refuse a two-state solution, what would we lose? A little bit of face? But if they agree, we may be able to resolve one of the two most destabilizing situations in the Middle East. Given that I never had any faith in your administration’s ability to solve the other crisis, perhaps you can surprise me by approaching this one with the tact, skill, and intelligence your efforts have previously lacked.

Sincerely,

Ish

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