Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

U. Massachusetts prof sheds light on Israeli-Palestinian conflict
By Caleb Lyons
Massachusetts Daily Collegian (U. Massachusetts)
02/07/2006

(U-WIRE) AMHERST, Mass. — The current situation in Israel looks uncertain for all parties involved, with changes of power and unforeseeable mishaps occurring all within a very short period of time. The situation has one University of Massachusetts professor making use of his own background on the issues at hand to hypothesize what's happening in what's widely regarded as "the Holy Land."

David Mednicoff, an assistant professor in UMass' Center for Public Policy and Legal Studies department, says that while he is hesitant to mention his own personal views regarding the current Israeli and Palestinian situation, he has professional opinions about the issue as a specialist in both Middle-Eastern politics and law.

Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, had a massive stroke last month, which left his vice minister, Ehud Olmert, as the acting prime minister. This unexpected incident subsequently left a hole in the peace process that Sharon was attempting to forge with the Palestinian government and created uncertainty.

Additionally, on Jan. 25, the newly formed Palestinian state, which resides in the recently abandoned Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, had its first democratic election. The result of the U.S.-sponsored event ended in controversy when Hamas — a group recognized as terrorists by Israel, the United States, Australia, Canada and the European Union - defeated the Fatah party.

Hamas is a Muslim-fundamentalist organization that has taken responsibility for the vast majority of Israel's suicide bombings, all in their stated quest to restore the country to their ownership and to destroy the current Israeli government.

"We're seeing an important generation shift [in leadership]," Mednicoff said regarding the change in both governments. "This is a change from leaders who primarily come from a military background to a generation of younger leaders who ... have potentially different attitudes.

"Hamas' victory is at least as much about domestic Palestinian issues as it is about Palestinians' attitude towards Israel," Medicoff said. The previous leader of Palestinians, the Fatah party, was infamous for its corruption and misappropriation of funds. For example, under the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) leader Yasar Arafat, funds that were to go towards schools and hospitals were used by Arafat to purchase new cars for himself, his family and his associates.

"[The Palestinians] are sort of fed up with their previous generation," Mednicoff said, "It's not Fatah as an organization, it's that the people who have been in Fatah that represent a generation with a different socialization from many contemporary Palestinians... There has been a sense [in the Middle East] that it was time for a new generation to come into power, and this recent election represents that."

Mednicoff also acknowledged the new theory that, in taking a democratic office, Hamas will have to moderate their views in order to cater to the people.

"The theory of many comparative political scientists like me is that when radical groups who have been out of the political process are voted into politics, they do have to moderate their views.

"In general I think that it's likely [that they will moderate]; however we haven't seen how this works in practice a lot because usually outside powers haven't allowed radical powers to come to office in Arab elections." Mednicoff explained. "... So we haven't seen this type of event enough to be sure that will be what will happen."

The state of Israel is now facing a split in its upcoming primary election between the conservative Likkud party, currently led by President Binyamin Netanyahu, and Kadima, the off-shoot of Likkud created by Sharon as a middle ground between it and the liberal Labour party. In the recent weeks, Olmert has carried on Sharon's Kadima agenda, but the people remain split largely.

"Kadima is likely to prevail," Mednicoff said about this situation, "[but] should something happen after Hamas' victory - a strong attack or a sense that [Hamas] really represents a threat - there could be a shift towards the Likkud. All three Israeli parties have candidates who represent a new generation in Israeli politics."

Mednicoff said that, with most Americans not being directly involved in the conflict in Israel, it's difficult for them to see the big picture.

"For outsiders looking at this stuff ... it's easy to say that Hamas' victory is all about what Palestinians think about Israel ... but the truth there is similar to the truth here where elections tend to more about local leaders and what's happening domestically."

Mednicoff went on to explain that in politics, seemingly different countries share concerns.

"People could say [when they look at our elections] that the result of the election in 2004 was a clear vote on American foreign policy on Iraq, when that's not true. It's the same thing with Palestinians and Israelis."

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