Two high ranking Hamas officials yesterday debated the meaning of their party’s recent landslide victory over Fatah in the Palestinian elections.  One of the officials is associated with the military arm of Hamas and the other is involved in social services.  Both demanded anonymity.

Military Official – Now the Israelis will have to yield to us or we’ll destroy them.

Social Official – Military operations, while still an option, should become much less a part of what Hamas is.  We need to build a nation, not an army.

MO – That underscores not only your timidity but your complete misunderstanding of why we won the election.  The people voted for a militant party that has attacked and killed the occupying enemy in buses and restaurants and discos.  We’ve made him suffer as we so long have.

SO – Violence could go on forever.  Palestinians are weary and so are Israelis.  I’m a pragmatist and understand that Hamas cannot destroy Israel.  We must therefore compromise.  More than half of Israelis have already said they want their government to negotiate with Hamas.

And for your edification, please note that Palestinians above all voted for Hamas because we’ve helped them.  I know.  I’ve built schools, orphanages, and medical clinics.  And I’ve served people soup and bread and helped them get jobs.  They also respect our financial honesty, which is in marked contrast to the thievery and incompetence of Arafat and Fatah.

MO – You’re foolish to think you could’ve helped anyone without our protection.

SO – I’m not minimizing the effect of Israelis feeling pain.

MO – They would’ve killed more of us without the threat of our reprisals.

SO – Yes, and we would’ve killed more of them if not for their certain counterattacks.

MO – They’ll try to strangle us economically, you know.   Israel won’t turn over Palestinian tax revenues to a government headed by Hamas.  And the United States and Europe will certainly cut off our aid.

SO – They’ve said they’ll still help us if we renounce violence and acknowledge Israel’s right to exist.

MO – Israel should acknowledge the right of the Palestinians to have a homeland.

SO – They’ve endorsed the principle of a Palestinian homeland in Gaza and much of the West Bank.

MO – We must have all of Palestine.

SO – I insist you tell me exactly how that can be accomplished.  Look at me.  Do you really believe we can destroy the Israel Defense Force?

Your silence is a loud declaration – no.

MO – It’s time for the Israelis, Americans and Europeans to respect us and quit calling us a terrorist organization.  We are the elected government of Palestine.

SO – We are, indeed.  Let us proceed.