January 31, 2006

Hamas Sees It’s Caught, Calls for Help—Iran, Syria and Saudis Likely to Ignore It

Hamas is making noises about being "blackmailed" and "looking for alternative sources" of financing. 

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- A top Hamas official said Tuesday the Islamic militant group will not be "blackmailed" by international threats to cut off aid to the Palestinians and is searching for new sources of funding.

Osama Hamdan, a member of the group's exiled leadership, spoke a day after international donors that support the Palestinian government said millions of dollars of aid could be in jeopardy if Hamas does not change its violent ways.

Hamas, which has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide attacks, is poised to lead the next Palestinian government after winning legislative elections.

"We are looking for alternative sources and we will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed," Hamdan said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from Beirut, Lebanon.

Wouldn't it be fascinating if Iran, Syria, North Korea or Saudi Arabia made itself still more of a blatant supporter of terrorism, and still more of an international pariah, by financing Hamastan?

It's a pathetic play on the part of Hamas. Iran or Syria would be happy to do it, but they may not want want to give away that much money. Hamastan has gotten itself caught in a wringer. It's dependent for financing on the free world it wants to destroy.

Pipes: Hamas Will Start Saying One thing in English, and Something Else in Arabic

From Daniel Pipes:

I also expect that, despite bold statements how it will not change, Hamas will play along with the verbal demands on it. Feeling a financial pinch and diplomatic pressure, its leaders will adopt Arafat's habit of delivering opaque hints and saying one thing in English and another in Arabic. Like Arafat, they might even "renounce" terrorism or pretend to change their Protocols-laced covenant.

Indeed, what Yossi Klein Halevi calls "the era of the wink and the hint" has already begun, with Hamas largely desisting from terrorism against Israel during its declared tahdiya (calming down) in 2005, then somewhat moderating its rhetoric in recent weeks; for example, it proposed a 15-year truce with Israel. The makeover shows signs of success: former U.S. president Bill Clinton, often an opinion bellwether, has just urged the Bush administration to consider dealing with Hamas.

I predict Palestinian-Israeli negotiations will resume their glorious record of bringing goodwill, harmony, and tranquility, with Israel this time facing a far more determined and clever foe than the blighted Arafat or the hapless Mahmoud Abbas.

It appears very likely that Hamas will try to pull the wool over the eyes of the world. But this time the free world has Hamas on a leash, financially. It will be very significant to see how the free world uses that leash.

ALITO HAS BEEN SWORN IN.

The snarky Washington Post headline on this reads, "The Vote to End Debate," as if  confirming an official is an oppression of the free speech of those who oppose the confirmation. I doubt they ran similar headines when their choices for confirmation have been approved.