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Hamas's landslide victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections of January 2006 came as an unwelcome and unexpected shock to both Middle Eastern and international regimes, with the organization winning nearly 58 percent of the Palestinian Legislative Council seats. The United States, a number of European nations, and Israel had all issued clear warnings before the elections that they would not deal with a Palestinian Authority led by Hamas.
As the international community continues to debate humanitarian assistance to Gaza, USIP examines “Reconstructing Gaza – Lessons from Lebanon” by Beirut-based Alistair Harris, a Deployable Civilian Expert for the British Government’s Stabilisation Unit. Harris argues that donors should avoid the temptation to adopt a mechanistic, one size fits all solution. “In the rush to rebuild what was destroyed, it should be remembered,” writes Harris, “that the major catalysts for this conflict were political and economic. As such, the reconstruction effort must ensure that viable employment initiatives form part of the post-conflict stabilization plan. This was very much a man-made humanitarian disaster,” concludes the report. “If the underlying issues are not addressed, unfortunately renewed conflict would seem inevitable.”
Latest from USIP on Palestinian Territories
- October 15, 2009 | Event
October 7, 2009 marked eight years since the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. For the first time since 2001, a serious debate is underway about our interests and objectives in Afghanistan and Pakistan. How are Afghans and Pakistanis reacting to this debate and what perspectives can they offer? Join us for a lively discussion on this issue with voices from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- September 1, 2009 | Resource
Education plays a critical role in preparing communities for change and has made important contributions to post-conflict reconciliation in numerous war-torn societies, yet education issues have largely been excluded from past efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A new USIP report argues why an education track should be included in the negotiations phase and in the text of an agreement itself, and puts forward practical recommendations on how Israelis and Palestinians – and the international community – can move forward with a successful peace process that incorporates education.
- July 15, 2009 | Event
Based on a recent USIP report "Hamas: Ideological Rigidity, Political Flexibility" by Paul Scham and Osama abu-Irshaid, this discussion will explore how the international community can detect and take advantage of any willingness by Hamas to compromise, without making ourselves vulnerable to manipulation. How should we interpret this movement, what is the role of Shari'a law in Hama's political behavior and what are the policy implications of the report?
- July 10, 2009 | Resource
The widely discussed Syrian-Israeli peace park concept is rooted in the assumption that Syrian and Israeli "good will" for cooperation is sufficient to mobilize a long- lasting, firm peace treaty between the two countries. The current discussions on a layout for a peace park provide a description of the mechanisms that will control and maintain the park, but fail to provide the insights for how to keep these mechanisms functioning in one, five or ten years into the future.
Arab-Israeli relations have deteriorated to their lowest point in a generation, with intensifying and widening violence. However, the severity of the problems may drive the parties to reconsider long-stagnant issues and create opportunities for new efforts to resolve the conflict. In order to seize on the prospects for renewing negotiations, USIP is conducting both policy-relevant analysis and innovative programming in support of local initiatives to build support for peace.
Since 2000, USIP has published one dozen books and reports on Arab-Israeli relations and the role of the United States, provided about 70 grants totaling over $2.5 million to scholars and NGOs addressing various aspects of the conflict, and supported the work of more than 20 resident scholars and fellows on this subject.
The Institute seeks to present a balanced approach to its work relating to Arab-Israeli relations by supporting research, programs and grants that improve understanding, develop capacity and analyze the issues in ways that can be useful to all parties who are seeking peace.
For more information on the Intitutes work in the region, please see our Arab-Israeli Relations initiative.