[to CPWJ Letters page] [ to CPWJ home page]

Letter from Burhan Ghanayem to the Durham Herald Sun
   Published: Monday, Janurary 30, 2006
 

Hamas victory reaction to Israeli occupation

The world woke up Thursday to witness an overwhelming victory of the
religious Palestinian party, Hamas. It is unfortunate that the media and U.S.
officials are claiming that Hamas' victory was a backlash against the
corruption of the governing Fatah party. Although there is some truth to that,
the brutal 38-year Israeli occupation and the international indifference to the
suffering of the Palestinian people are the primary contributors to the rise of
Hamas. Since Israel occupied the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza, Israel
illegally confiscated more than 50 percent of the Palestinian land (including
my family's 12 acres of beautiful orchard) to establish "Jews only settlements";
uprooted olive, citrus, and almond trees; killed tens of thousands of innocent
Palestinians; deprived Palestinians of most freedoms, and jailed tens of
thousands of political prisoners. Hamas was established in response to that.
Hamas' victory presents an opportunity for peace. President Bush, who
claims that he took America to war in Iraq and is spending American lives,
money, and energy to further democracy, should salute the Palestinian people
for holding a clean, democratic election under one of the most brutal occupations
of modern times. The U.S. should respect the choice of Palestinians by
recognizing Hamas and holding talks with them. In these talks, the U.S. may
demand an end to militancy from Hamas and Israel in return for a
guaranteed end to the occupation and the establishment of a viable Palestinian
state over all the land of the West Bank and Gaza.

BURHAN GHANAYEM