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Boise State: Terror Wins at Polls
by Jonathan Sawmiller
 No organization is more deserving of being classified as a terrorist organization than Hamas. Yet, this same gang of murderers was democratically elected by the Palestinian people to rule them. What is going on here? It’s nothing more than a reflection of the beliefs concerning Israel held by the Islamic majority of Palestinians. For decades, Palestinians raised in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been indoctrinated into fundamentalist Islamic beliefs, non-recognition of the State of Israel, and unrelenting warfare against Jewish civilians. (Arbiter)
Colorado State: Palestine Plus Free-Elections Equals More Terrorism
by Ryan Chapman
 Last semester I criticized Israel's decision to return the territory of the Gaza Strip to Palestine because it would only encourage the terrorists who were using violence against women and children to achieve their objectives. Now it appears I wasn't just blowing smoke, as the succession of the Gaza Strip has not only encouraged Hamas but has convinced many Palestinian civilians of the group's ability to get things accomplished. (Collegian
George Washington: After Hamas, Is It Still Possible to Be Pro-Peace?
by Will Dempster
 Even the most outspoken peace activists must realize that the Oslo process - which had been decomposing slowly since the outbreak of the second intifada - is dead. So too perhaps is the land-for-peace paradigm. Not dead, however, are the nearly 12 million Israelis and Palestinians that inhabit the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Because they share such a small portion of the Earth, it is impossible for one's destiny to be decided without input from the other. (The Hatchet)
See also What Democracy Hath Wrought by Michael Barnett
To the Western world, the terrorist group's victory drove home the messy truth that democracy has negative externalities, among them the possibility that the rise of terrorists, thugs and fascists is often abetted by free and fair elections. (The Hatchet)
Iowa State: Democracy Doesn't Equal Freedom
by Noah Stahl
 Hamas won in a landslide. The spectacle of a freely elected terrorist organization raises some important questions: What exactly is "democracy," and is it really something we should be advocating? In simplest terms, democracy refers to majority rule, which is usually implemented by voting. Depending on the aims shared by the majority, the "will of the people" may lead to good or evil. (Iowa State Daily)
Purdue: Hamas Victory Poses Threat for War on Terror
by David Brunner
 I hear people say that Hamas must step up because the Palestinians are in need of jobs, running water and trash pickup and peace. There is talk of withdrawing U.S. and European aid due to the Hamas victory. Why do people believe that a "mandate from God" can be influenced by economic threats, or that Hamas cannot get funding elsewhere? (Exponent)
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Brandeis: Do Terror Ties Really Matter?
by Jonathan S. Tobin
 Unfortunately for Khalil Shikaki and his friends, the accusations against the Palestinian stem from a Department of Justice investigation of Islamic Jihad in the United States, not a “right-wing” plot. The support for Shikaki is apparently driven by a belief that his past is irrelevant. But how can we be expected to believe in his moderation, or scholarship, as long as he goes on lying about Islamic Jihad and asking his Jewish pals to back him up? (Jewish Exponent)
Duke: Unfortunately, Sharon Was Right
by Adam Yoffie
 I find it sadly fitting that during what may turn out to be Sharon’s final days, his justification for unilateral withdrawal is being vindicated. Sharon repeatedly explained to President George W. Bush and the more left-wing factions in Israel that the Palestinians are not a credible partner for peace. The current chaos in Gaza, where Palestinian factions are killing one another in a bloodthirsty quest for power, only affirms Sharon’s position and the increasingly vocal centrist factions in Israel. (Chronicle)
See also Finkelstein's Accusations Detract from Debate by Jeff Leibach, president, Freeman Center for Jewish Life
I am disappointed that Hiwar, the Progressive Alliance, the Department of Cultural Anthropology and the Institute for Critical U.S. Studies legitimize Norman Finkelstein’s spurious and incendiary claims under the guise of academic freedom. (Chronicle)
Georgetown: Peace Depends on Recognition of Israel
by Jonathan Aires
 I urge you to keep in mind two prerequisites to peaceful progress. You can be sure that any group that is unwilling both to recognize Israel’s right to exist and to condemn suicide bombings is not concerned with seeking full justice for both Palestinians and Israelis. If these prerequisites are not recognized, a two-state solution will be unattainable. Jonathan Aires is a board member of the Georgetown Israel Alliance. (The Hoya)
Michigan Tech: Is Democracy the Best Structure for Palestine? - No Change
 To give a better idea of how radical Hamas is, Fatah was the organization that a man named Yassar Arafat once belonged to. The Palestinians felt that Fatah had become too moderate as of late and elected Hamas, the more extreme faction. That’s a bit like passing on the Klan for neo-Nazis. With the United States scrambling to scrap any aid to the Palestinians, my point has been made for me. Democracy works only for reasonable people. (MTU Online)
York Is Not Suppressed
by Noah Zatzman
 The real issue is the refusal of the administration to sanction the vilification of the Jewish community on campus and at-large by professor David Noble and his supporters. It is appalling to me that a professor at a major academic institution would accuse and single out students from the campus community and on other campuses around the country for being part of a cabal trying to influence international events. The demonstrably false and ludicrous allegations that are made seem to stem from hatred toward Israel and Zionism, the national self-determination movement of the Jewish people. (Excalibur)
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