Palestinian Elections … Or Not
Yet again the Palestinians have proven that their understanding of democracy is stunted, to say the least. Fearful that Hamas might win the July parliamentary election after a good showing in the local contest, Abu Mazen’s Fatah faction is calling for a postponement. Fatah seems to think a delay would work in its favor.
Well, in fact, it might.
Yet again the Palestinians have proven that their understanding of democracy is stunted, to say the least. Fearful that Hamas might win the July parliamentary election after a good showing in the local contest, Abu Mazen’s Fatah faction is calling for a postponement. Fatah seems to think a delay would work in its favor.
Well, in fact, it might.
Fatah is unlikely to win an election over Hamas. Fatah is correctly perceived by the Palestinian people as corrupt, ineffectual, and intellectually flabby. The fact that Abu Mazen sanctioned the death penalty for Palestinians convicted by kangaroo courts doesn’t help his image at home either. Hamas is correctly perceived as taking the fight to the Israeli enemy, providing education and social services for the Palestinian poor, and upholding the honor of Palestine. The fact that Hamas kills Jews rather than Palestinians is a plus at home.
Since Fatah can’t win a vote against these guys, Abu Mazen has to get rid of them. Before accusing us of anti-democratic tendencies, let us remind our readers that voting is not the same as democracy; not every group that calls itself a “political party” is one; and not every party is legitimate. It is impossible to have a democratic election in the Palestinian Authority when one or both of the main parties are terrorist organizations.
In his landmark 2002 speech on the Palestinian future, President Bush called for a transformation in Palestinian leadership from terrorists to honest politicians with regard for decency and clean government and a commitment to peaceful resolution of final status issues with Israel. Hamas leadership doesn’t qualify. But remember, the President also warned, “Any reform must be more than cosmetic change or veiled attempt to preserve the status quo.” Abu Mazen doesn’t qualify either and the U.S. shouldn’t dignify a sham election for the Palestinians.
But, if Abu Mazen wants to participate in the growth of consensual government in the Middle East, the Road Map offers a series of steps the PA can take – no, HAS TO take. The Road Map requires that “the Palestinian people have a leadership … acting decisively against terror,” and “willing and able to build a practicing democracy based on tolerance and liberty.” It calls for a draft constitution subject to public debate; an independent election commission; a cutoff of funds to terror organizations; and ministers empowered to undertake reform. It requires “uprooting the terrorist infrastructure,” meaning the elements of Fatah (the Al Aksa Brigades) that engage in warfare against Jews as well as Hamas and PIJ.
And if Fatah can’t do that last one, Israel should be encouraged to continue its practice of protecting its own citizens by removing the terrorist threat. If Israel does, and if Abu Mazen works at creating a structure for multiple, non-coercive political parties, an open economy, an independent judiciary and a free press, by the time elections roll around – whenever that happens – the Palestinians might have an election that matters.