Former US president Jimmy Carter said yesterday that since Hamas has won a stunning election victory, the movement and the international community must accommodate themselves to the new reality.
He took issue with those who try to dictate how democracy must operate in this region.
"What right does an outside power have to tell a sovereign people what to do?" he asked. People should make the choice even if their choices are unpopular in the Western Christian world, he said.
Mr Carter revealed that 10 years ago, after the first Palestinian election, he was asked by the late president Yasser Arafat to mediate between him and Hamas. Mr Carter was prepared to undertake this task.
"Hamas was somewhat interested but did not have a clear idea [ of where it stood], so it cancelled the meeting." In Mr Carter's view, the first step Hamas must take today is to make certain that it speaks with one voice and adopts a clear policy line.
"My guess is [ that Hamas] is right now trying to absorb the enormity of its unexpected victory, assimilating what has happened. Fatah will be the loyal opposition.
"All the cabinet posts will go to Hamas . . . Everything is in Hamas's hands. It is healthy for them to have responsibility for security." He made the point that Hamas candidates have had remarkable success in local elections during 2005 and that once in power they have not called for violence and "there are no allegations of corruption" to match those levelled at Fatah.
"Hamas must accept the independence and sovereignty of Israel . . . If Hamas says it accepts the two-state solution based on the '67 border and foregoes violence for a specific amount of time" the outside world should be satisfied.
He expressed concern that the Palestinian people could be made to suffer by cuts in financial assistance by donors who reject dealings with Hamas.