Letter to the Editor published in the Victoria Times Colonist, 20 March 2006
I feel compelled to respond to an inflammatory headline in your newspaper (‘Terrorist Palestinian leader talks of Israeli peace deal’, March 18). Ismail Haniyeh is the democratically elected leader of the Palestinian people. While I may not agree with his theological approach to politics, or the tactics of some of his supporters, Haniyeh is an influential figure in the Middle East.
An Israeli state that acts unilaterally—ignoring the 1967 borders of Palestine, and creating hundreds of thousands of refugees—should not be surprised that a militant group like Hamas enjoys widespread support. Violence against civilians—Palestinian or Jew—should be roundly condemned by all thoughtful people.
Demonizing Hamas will not change the fact that the organization won the recent elections and commands the support of a plurality of Palestinians. The challenge now is to bridge this 60-year divide, not inflame it further.
