The appropriate method of response to the victory of the Hamas Movement in the elections held in the Palestinian Authority is a problem that is disconcerting to Israel and to the entire world – and the Palestinians themselves are also losing sleep over it. Hence, two opposite approaches developed: the uncompromising approach (Israel, the Western world and even political entities in the authority itself) and a moderate approach (the Left in Israel, Russia, Turkey and Arab countries).
The uncompromising school of thought asserts that if the Hamas does not cease the terror and will not recognize Israel, severe sanctions are to be imposed upon the Palestinian Authority, whereas, the moderate school of thought proposed to give the Hamas time to change and soften its viewpoints – and not punish the entire Palestinian people in the meantime. There is great logic to this approach.
