Global connections
Research & archive
Historical material. Dates, proposals and invitations refer to the time of the original publication.
The research question
Is there, in your opinion, a connection between the presence/absence of the Hamas organization and the establishment of the Palestinian state? If yes, what is it? How could the disappearance of the influence of this organization affect the establishment of the Palestinian Authority?
The absolute majority of experts consider the absence of the Hamas organization as a significant condition for progress toward the formation of the Palestinian state.
| Position | Central argument |
|---|---|
| A condition for progress | Unified political leadership as a step toward statehood. |
| Not the determining factor | The main obstacle is attributed to Israel’s political decisions. |
| Influence would persist | Expectations of continued instability and organizational influence. |
Political unity and statehood
«Hamas obstructs the establishment of the Palestinian state» This response implies reliance on the historical context of the emergence of this organization, which was intended to create a force capable of resisting the formation of a unified Palestinian state. This was the main role and purpose of this organization for Israel. «The absence of the Hamas organization is a necessary and possibly sufficient condition for the establishment of the Palestinian state.» «The rift between Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian Authority (Fatah) on the West Bank has become a serious obstacle to Palestinian unity and statehood. Therefore, the absence of Hamas potentially could facilitate the Palestinians’ task of forming a more unified organization and government, which is a crucial step toward statehood. Moreover, Hamas’s position on the use of violence and its refusal to recognize the State of Israel are destructive. If Hamas’s influence diminishes or it is removed from the political scene, it could create a more favorable environment for negotiations and agreements that may lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state. In turn, international recognition: a more unified and politically stable Palestinian leadership without Hamas’s influence may garner greater international recognition and support for statehood.»
Source-language note: the Russian phrase about refusing to recognize peace negotiations differs from the parallel English original, which says “refusal to recognize the State of Israel.” Russian and Hebrew display that passage from the English original with an editorial marker. Both source versions are retained. Parallel English source
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The role of political decisions
The opposing position (held by a minority) is that «The existence of the ‘Hamas enclave’ in the Gaza Strip does not affect the existence and further development of the Palestinian Authority on the West Bank. What does have an impact is Israel’s unwillingness to have the State of Palestine NEXT to itself. Israel, having it de-facto next to itself, categorically does NOT want to have it de-jure.»
Expectations of continuing influence
The third point of view is that «The complete destruction of Hamas is entirely impossible; the influence of Hamas may decrease but will not disappear. There will be more terrorist acts targeting the leaders of the Palestinian Authority (PA), which will destabilize the situation in the region, hindering the transformation of the Palestinian Authority into a Palestinian state.
About the source
An archival expert survey, November 2023. These are historical opinions and hypotheses; these excerpts do not identify the respondents.
Yasser Arafat’s mausoleum in the Muqata compound, Ramallah, 10 January 2008. OneArmedMan. Original photograph · License. Labelled framing adaptation using built-in image_gen; this is a processed image. The original is retained separately. The archival photograph supplies context for the place and topic; it does not depict the survey event or its future scenarios.
Original publication Previous chapter: The Abraham Accords: opportunities and obstacles Next chapter: A Palestinian state’s borders: expert perspectives_01.JPG){kind=link}