sirenianshores

Jerry Adams has begun his tour of Israel-Palestine. Personally, I cannot stand the guy or his party, but hopefully some good may come out of his visit. Politicians from Northern Ireland have had some degree of success in the past at trying to bring about peace in other conflicts, such as the one between the Basque separatist movement, ETA, and the Spanish government.

Before arriving in Israel, Mr Adams said he wanted to help provide inspiration for parties in other conflicts, following agreement to end decades of bloody fighting in Northern Ireland.

He criticised the US and EU for cutting aid to the Palestinians after Hamas took over the government, reacting to the Islamic movement’s failure to renounce violence and recognize Israel.

The Western attitude is counterproductive, he said. “In the Irish peace process, the US administration played a positive and encouraging role, and we would urge them to take a similar approach here,” he said.

Adams criticized the US and EU attitude of opposing democracy in the Middle East whenever it doesn’t suit them. Hamas may be a bunch of terrorists, but if you deny them a democratic alternative path away from terrorism, it is only going to prolong the conflict even further. By getting themselves elected as government’s representatives, Hamas are now more accountable to their own people than they ever would be as just a group of lawless gunmen.