The position of the United States, the UN, the EU, and Russia about what a legitimate Palestinian government would look like has been consistent since this statement made in 2006: “It is the view of the Quartet that all members of a future Palestinian Government must be committed to non-violence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Road Map.”

Despite this, Hamas — the front-runner in the planned upcoming Palestinian legislative elections — has yet again made it crystal clear that it has no intention to abide by even one of those conditions.

In a statement released for the 17th anniversary of Israel’s assassination of Hamas co-founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Hamas explicitly affirmed five principles that are utterly inconsistent with the wishful thinking of Western diplomats:

First: The purification of Jerusalem from the filth of the occupying Zionists is a sacred duty for every Arab and Muslim, so that an Arab and Muslim city would become the capital of the free and independent state of Palestine.

Second: There is no recognition of the occupation, no reconciliation with it, nor a waiver of a speck of soil from the land of Palestine and its sanctities.

Third: The return of refugees is a sacred right, and there cannot be bargaining over it, and resistance will continue until they all return to their homes and the countries from which they were displaced.

Fourth: Prisoners will return to their homes freely despite the occupation. They are our children, and we will not accept that they remain behind the bars of the criminal jailer.

Fifth: The partnership based on the institution and the national program is a goal that we will continue to work for until the occupation and its consequences are defeated.

The word “resistance” means terrorism and war. The phrase “land of Palestine” includes all of Israel.

There has been very little public discussion by the US, EU and UN about how it is impossible to reconcile the Quartet’s principles with the reality of Hamas running in the current elections and likely winning. Even the letter reportedly sent to the Biden administration by the Palestinian Authority did not contradict Hamas’ violent and intransigent stated principles.

Notably, Mahmoud Abbas has repealed a decree he issued in 2006 that required candidates to accept the PLO’s political platform and principles, allowing Hamas to run unhindered; and there wasn’t a peep of protest from the West.

The Western attitude seems to be that it would be hypocritical to denounce any aspect of the elections, even if they will usher in the rule of an Islamist terror group, so it is better to ignore the issue altogether.

Which means that, just like in 2006, the media and foreign governments will act very surprised to suddenly realize they have to deal with Hamas, while still pretending to want to push for peace.

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