GLW forum discusses Hamas victory

Linda Waldron, Melbourne

On March 22, 40 people attended a Green Left Weekly forum on the topic "The Hamas Victory: What now for Palestine, Israel and the 'peace process'?" Addressing the forum were Michael Shaik from the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and Australians for Justice and Peace in Palestine; Maher Mughrabi, a Palestinian journalist; and Kim Bullimore, who spent time in Palestine with the International Women's Peace Service and who has also covered the Palestinian struggle for GLW.

Mughrabi explained that Palestinians had voted for Hamas because they believed it would lead to real improvements in their lives. "Hamas may not be left-wing but voting for Hamas may be a very left-wing thing to do", he told the forum.

Bullimore emphasised the importance of Hamas' political role in opposing the Israeli occupation. Because the ruling Fatah party was unable to deliver on promises of statehood and peace, increasing numbers of Palestinians had turned to Hamas.

Shaik discussed Israel's ethnic cleansing or "disengagement" policy. He said that the Jordan River Redevelopment Project, the apartheid wall and the "Judaisation" of Jerusalem were key manifestations of Zionist ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their homeland.

In the Jordan Valley region there are 50,000 Palestinians and 6300 Israeli settlers. The "redevelopment" plan is to allocate 70% of the land to the illegal settlers and a further 20% to "closed military zones".

Shaik concluded his presentation by stating that the Palestinian struggle is the "defining struggle" in the 21st century "between justice and power". He argued that the US rulers' plans for global domination stand or fall depending on the outcome of the struggle in the Middle East. The Palestinian people's struggle for freedom represents the centre of this struggle. Shaik asked the audience, "Will we rise to the challenge of joining them?"

From Green Left Weekly, March 29, 2006.

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From GLW issue 662