Armed to political struggle

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Every nation has the right to resist occupation by all possible means, including armed struggle. And yet there is a time when armed struggle is not the answer. In the Palestinian case, that time has come.

This is not to deny the great -- some say the only -- achievement of Palestinian armed struggle: it has placed Palestinian nationhood on the map. Time was that the Palestinian problem was just a problem of refugees, something relief agencies can deal with. Time was that Golda Meir wondered, "Where are the Palestinians?" This time is gone. Today, even the Israelis admit that the Palestinians exist and are entitled to a state of their own.

Aside from this outstanding achievement, armed struggle gave the Palestinians very little. Take, for example, the goal of Palestinian resistance. Over the years, the goal has shrunk steadily, from wanting to liberate all of Palestine, to demanding back the West Bank and Gaza, to asking for a part of what Israel occupied in 1967. Recently, the main aim has been to control Gaza and open the crossing points, especially Rafah.

To be fair, the resistance is at a disadvantage, considering Israel's immense military arsenal. The military option, however noble it may seem, is often counterproductive.

What the Palestinians need is to change the world mood, so that the bias towards Israel comes to an end. What the Palestinians need is a more coherent Arab and Palestinian political scene. For armed struggle to bear fruit, we need to put adequate resources into it. Otherwise, the Palestinians would find themselves in the position of Roman gladiators, offered a promise of freedom once they kill hungry lions with their bare hands.

The Palestinians need to transcend the romanticism many associate with armed struggle. Let armed resistance be an option, but don't use it in all circumstances and times. Right now, political struggle is the best way forward. There is nothing inherently disgraceful about political struggle, despite what some Palestinian and Arab hotheads may say. A warrior's respite, let's call it.

The leaders of resistance groups must look back at the long years of armed struggle and think again. They must search their hearts and think of what is best for their people. Keep your options open, including that of armed struggle if you wish, but do what is right.

It is sad to see the Palestinians used to promote certain international and regional agendas, including those that are quite harmful to Palestinian higher interests. For now, Palestinian factions -- especially Fatah and Hamas -- must stop bickering. And Khaled Meshaal of Hamas should quit promoting Iranian interests at the expense of Egypt and all Palestinians.

Hamas could do worse than cooperate with Egyptian initiatives. And it must stop calling for a substitute for the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), the internationally recognised voice of the Palestinians. Hamas must stop trying to create a substitute for the PLO just to please Iran, Qatar and Syria.

Meshaal's alliance with countries with a chip on their shoulder can undermine years of Palestinian struggle. Those -- including Hamas leaders -- that receive support from Damascus, Doha or Tehran must think again.

What would happen should Syria and Iran sort out their outstanding problems with the West? What would happen should Syria and Iran reach a settlement with Israel and the US? What would happen to the Palestinian factions that love to talk tough in Damascus? All know the answer: the Palestinian people would suffer even more.