When the petard is hoist, not only the engineer may be injured

Submitted by Gunther H. Schiff (United States), Jan 27, 2006 at 14:28

I believe your views are correct. The "Western" powers are indeed faced by a dilemna as Hamas goes forward with its new job of governing the Palestinians. However, it seems to me that Hamas has concomitant problems to those affecting the Westerners. How can it govern effectively and satisfy its citizens without major financial and pollitical help form the rest of the world.

It seems unlikely that the moneyed Islamic states - the Gulf States, Saudia Arabia and Iran are going to replace the vast sums previoously offered by the EU states and the USA. I think Hamas is in a worse position than the US and its partners - they have to either offend their "base" and withdraw from their historical stand, or try to govern withoiut sufficient funds and great problems of access.

If they do not meet their campaign promises they will soon offend the voters who put them in power. They must act and the others powers and Israel can sit by and watch - lots of trouble for everyone, but this trouble may well lead to some form of viable compromise. Gunther

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