The exchange of more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli soldier was brokered by a German mediator and by Egypt, because Israel regards Hamas as a terrorist organization with which it will not negotiate.
But the fact remains that this was a deal Israel cut with Hamas. The question now is whether this show of pragmatism can lead to further developments, with broader ramifications for the Arab-Israeli conflict.
When Hamas took power more than five years ago, I wrote on these pages that the development had a potentially positive side: “Things might now become much clearer. There will be no whitewashing, no Arafat-style double-talk, or endless Abbas impotence. It's better to deal with a pure enemy: Fight him ruthlessly while he is your enemy, and sit down and talk to him when he is genuinely willing to cut a deal. History has seen such things happen.”
Read Full Article »