Representatives of the group have signaled that giving up armed struggle against Israel is a real possibility. However, this requires a dialogue (most likely through a third party), resulting in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the borders of 1967. Some analysts are skeptical about such statements and say that this is nothing more than a PR stunt.
“Talks about a possible ceasefire are a signal of HAMAS softening their position against the backdrop of steady strikes on militants in the Gaza Strip.” This information spread after a speech by Hamas politburo member Basem Naim (based in Istanbul). On April 25th, he stated that the group’s leadership is ready to end the war if an independent Palestinian state is established.
Main theses are as follows:
- the capital of the state will be located in Jerusalem;
- the right of return for refugees will be preserved;
- Al-Qassam – the military wing of Hamas, currently engaged in armed conflict, – will eventually be integrated into the national army, which will be established in the future to protect the state.
Experts criticize such intentions. One of the main problems, according to the President of the Jerusalem Institute of Strategy and Security, Efraim Inbar, is that the return of Palestinian refugees equates to the destruction of the state of Israel, where they make up the majority of the population. More likely, this can be interpreted as a pseudo readiness to cease fire and a loud PR move.
Problem number one
The purpose of such a “bluff” is to secure more support from the West. The fact is that in many countries, people widely support the Palestinians, even taking to the streets in protests, and such statements aim to strengthen their positions.
In fact, the content of the statement is perceived by average Europeans and Americans as follows: “We are ready to stop fighting, we propose negotiations, but Israel is bad, it wants to fight”. The fact that the conditions are practically unacceptable is ignored. The main point is that an informational pretext for the next wave of the process has been created: it will be written about in all the news, it will be discussed, but in fact – nothing new has happened.
Problem Two
The second problem is that no official statements have been made setting clear conditions and proposals. Yes, several high-ranking officials talked about the intentions. On April 24th, this was reported by HAMAS high-ranking representative Khalil al-Hayya. On behalf of the organization, he announced the need to create a “fully sovereign Palestinian state on the West Bank of Jordan and in the Gaza Strip, with the further return of Palestinian refugees”. But one thing is a speech, and another – an official offer that reflects the parties’ real intentions. It must be documented and declared in accordance with international protocol.
So, HAMAS Politburo member Basem Naim responded to the question whether such a statement means a change in the group’s position, stating that it is fully in line with the position from the beginning of the war with Israel. Therefore, this could be interpreted as follows: “Nothing has changed in our demands, we are not ready for compromise, but we are essentially trying to shift responsibility for brutal measures to the opponent, making it seem like our rhetoric has undergone significant changes.”
The fundamental question is as follows: HAMAS does not consider the existence of two independent states of a new type – Palestine and Israel. The militants demand the creation of a Palestinian state within the borders that existed 57 years ago.
Problem Three
And the last problem lies in the fact that statements from HAMAS leaders are constantly changing. For example, just a week ago Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan assured that the group is ready to continue functioning solely as a political force, if their demand for a Palestinian state is met. The official made this statement after a meeting with Turkish officials and group members, during which he asked HAMAS officials to “clearly state their position”. As we can see, this “clear” position changed within a few days, evidenced by the demand to integrate HAMAS’s military wing into the national army to be created.
Whether or not these manipulations will affect the Western world and the course of future events, only time will tell.
