Alright, alright…Calm down! What’s that, boy? Really? Hamas will recognize Israel? After the vast oceans of blood and tears? Why, that’s great, boy! What else boy? Hamas will nullify the charter that calls for the destruction of Israel? Good boy!

The word came from Aziz Dwaik, Hamas’s most senior representative in the West Bank. Go here to add him on your Facebook.

Well, slow down, let’s analyze things a little…

Dwaik’s remarks should be taken in the context of Hamas’s attempts to win recognition from the international community. He was released a few months ago after spending nearly three years in an Israeli prison.
He was among the dozens of Hamas officials who were rounded up by Israel after the abduction of Gilad Schalit near the Gaza Strip in June 2006.
Dwaik put it this way:

“The [Hamas] charter was drafted more than 20 years ago….no one wants to throw anyone into the sea.”

Well, habibi, thank you for clearing that up, ’cause, like, people were beginning to talk.
Dwaik also expressed Hamas’s desire to engage in a dialogue with the European Union. He also confirmed that Hamas was receiving financial aid from Iran. Good to know!

Some might consider Dwaik, as speaker of the PLC, to be the acting president of the Palestinian Authority, sin Mahmoud Abbasce‘s term was officially expired on January 9.

These latest remarks were made during a meeting held in Hebron with British millionaire
David Martin Abrahams.

“The fact that there is a possibility for recognition of Israel is a symbolic gesture…We can all look for good in people and we can all look for bad in people. I always look for the good…People might say that I’m naïve, so let them. But I’m prepared to give them [Hamas] a chance because I’ve got faith and confidence in Dwaik and Haniyeh. We can’t allow 1.5 million to be festering in the Gaza Strip while the majority of them are good and well-educated.”

Abrahams said that his decision to engage Hamas was aimed at

“preventing bloodshed on both sides.”

“I recently published an article in the Jewish Chronicleto test the temperature of the water within the Jewish community about Hamas…I found a lot of support among Jews for dealing with Hamas and I was pleasantly surprised.”

Abrahams added,

“Hamas is different from al-Qaida…Hamas is no threat to Western interests.”

During the meeting in Hebron, Dwaik stressed that other Hamas leaders, including Damascus-based Khaled Mashaal and Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, have voiced their support of the idea of establishing an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 boundaries.