Can Hamas be part of the bigger picture?

One thing is certain in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: change is coming. The incapacitation of Ariel Sharon and the election of Hamas have definitively changed the landscape of the debate. Unfortunately, it seems that questions that seemed to have been answered long ago must be revisited. Just as the PLO was persuaded to renounce violence it appears that either Hamas must make the same choice or be conclusively rejected by its constitutents. Either way ... the resolution of this question alone will take time and set back the prospects of peace in the region indefinitely. Similarly, Israel must once again revisit its desire for peace and whether there is a central leader strong enough to put the nation on the path to peace. This debate will similarly require time.

Opinio Juris offers evidence and opinion as to whether Hamas can effectively be brought into the mainstream. Unfortunately, the evidence strongly indicates an unwillingness to be part of a broader, non-violent process.