Iran And Hamas Threaten Peace Process

As would-be peacemakers bask in the international limelight of the Annapolis conference, back in the Middle East two other parties are serving up notice that no deal will come to pass, if they can help it: Iran and its Palestinian ally, Hamas. "The Annapolis conference was already a failure," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told journalists after a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday. The U.S. could sponsor a hundred such meetings, he added, and the result would be the same. In Gaza, which is effectively ruled by the fundamentalist Hamas group, anti-Annapolis protesters filled the streets. "They can go to thousands of conferences and we will say in the name of the Palestinian people that we do not accept," Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar told the demonstrators.

Here is a brief overview of Hamas and the problems they create:
HAMAS (in Arabic, an acronym for "Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamia", Islamic Resistance Movement, and a word meaning zeal) is a radical Islamic fundamentalist organization which became active in the early stages of the intifada, operating primarily in the Gaza District but also in Judea and Samaria. Formed in late 1987 as an outgrowth of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Various HAMAS elements have used both political and violent means, including terrorism, to pursue the goal of establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel. Loosely structured, with some elements working clandestinely and others working openly through mosques and social service institutions to recruit members, raise money, organize activities, and distribute propaganda. In a January 2006 election, Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian legislature.

HAMAS activists, especially those in the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, have conducted many attacks, including large-scale suicide bombings, against Israeli civilian and military targets. In the early 1990s, they also targeted suspected Palestinian collaborators and Fatah rivals. HAMAS increased its operational activity during 2002-2003, claiming numerous attacks against Israeli interests. The group has not targeted US interests, although some US citizens have been killed in HAMAS operations, and continues to confine its attacks to Israelis inside Israel and the territories.

There are an unknown number of official members; tens of thousands of supporters and sympathizers. Hamas receives some funding from Iran but primarily relies on donations from Palestinian expatriates around the world and private benefactors in moderate Arab states. Some fundraising and propaganda activity take place in Western Europe and North America.

The second part of this duo of peace haters is being led by none other than the "little" man himself, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is already calling the meetings a failure, and again saying Israel will not be part of the Middle East in the future, as they will not "last",and that deterioration is in the nature of this regime as it has been built on aggression, lying, crime and wrongdoing," he added. Where's King Juan Carlos, when you need him--"Shut up Mahmoud!!".


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