Mecca Agreement

The Mecca agreement. You can read the entire thing for yourself (here). I promise you that it will not take very long, it is only a few paragraphs.

After the Mecca agreement was announced, I too waited and watched the media reports on the reaction. My own reaction was rather tepid at first. Hamas did not agree to renounce violence or even recognize the right of Israel to exist. On the former I might have been willing to compromise, on the latter, I tend to be rather adamant.

I waited for some leadership from the parties involved. I have yet to see a reaction that I would describe as leadership from "our" side. Let us take out the magnifying glass and examine the Israeli position. (See here) a Haaretz piece written by Aluf Benn, Avi Issacharoff and Gideon Alon that reports on what Israeli Prime Minister Olmert has to say:

Speaking at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting, Olmert said that "Israel is not rejecting nor is it embracing the Mecca accord. Israel is studying the details of the agreement."

No sign of leadership there. The whole agreement can be absorbed in a single sitting if you read it for yourself. Perhaps one can be excused if you desire to go home, drink a beer, and think about it. Then wake up the next morning and read it again with a cup of coffee. But after several days have gone by, you would think our leaders would be done "studying the details of the agreement" and finally be willing show some leadership.

My opinion is that they are unwilling to lead and are waiting for the currents of public opinion to show them which direction their canoe should be headed. Well, if they are going to wait on public opinion, I am going to stick my paddle in the water.

First and foremost, I ask myself just what kind of "peace agreement" can result by engaging with the "unity government" resulting from the Mecca Agreement?

Has Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza absent a peace agreement yielded peace? There has not been a reported decrease in the number of Qassam rockets fired into Israel as a result. At times, the level of violence seems to have actually increased.

If Israel reaches a "peace agreement" with a government that is largely represented by a faction that is still sworn to the destruction of Israel, what chances are there that the promised "peace agreement" will actually result in real peace? Or will the "peace" that results make what happens on Israel's northern border with Lebanon seem even preferable in comparison?

Hamas is not even willing to superficially accept the right of the "Zionist entity" to exist. Is it wrong to engage in negotiations with an opponent that insists on the right to kill you after negotiations are completed? I answer in the affirmative.

I am unwilling to compromise on the right of Israel to exist. Israel has the right to exist, we only need to discuss the issues surrounding this existence. However negotiations should not be conducted with an entity represented by a majority that refuses to accept this right of existence.

Let the economic boycott continue. If there is a need for the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people, ample money has been promised by the Iranians and the Saudis to meet these needs if the money is well spent. If the money is wasted on weapons it is not our fault.

Tighten the screws. Hamas gets no help from us.