Faced with mounting crackdowns by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who is trying to position himself as the lone Palestinian partner for peace, Hamas is dramatically moderating its own positions, dialing back anti-Israel rhetoric, and giving support for the idea of a two state solution.
Perhaps the biggest shift in the new documents on the official Hamas position was an acceptance of the 1967 borders for a Palestinian state. Though Hamas was quick to insist this was something sort of “recognizing” Israel, it also insisted that the conflict over the occupation was “not a religious one.”
Hamas also announced they are ending their ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, a move that is primarily aimed at placating neighboring Egypt, whose military junta in 2013 ousted an elected government that was itself led by the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood.
With much of Israel’s policy centered on permanent hostility toward Hamas as a big reason to reject peace deals, Israeli officials were quick to publicly reject the Hamas shift in policy, insisting Hamas are terrorists and are “trying to fool the world” in moderating their positions.
Hamas does stuff the US and its allies don’t like, they get condemned. They do stuff the US and its allies do like, and they still get condemned. No improvement in openness and behavior is welcome, apparently.