I Love It When A Plan Works Out

Democracy. Funny word, funnier concept.

You see, the Americans love it. Except when it delivers the 'wrong' verdict. I speak of Palestine, well, the bits that the Israelis haven't unilaterally annexed/invaded without fear of recrimination or backlash.

Anyway, you may have heard they had an election and the hardline nutcases won. Hamas.

Now, I don't know a heap about Middle East politics really, but I know that nobody, apart from the Palestinian people, wanted Hamas in charge. Since Arafat's untimely death Fatah have gone nowhere. By Middle East standards, Fatah were moderates and were at least chatting peacefully with the Israelis despite turning down deals from the likes of Ehud Barak which may just have brought a semblance of peace - by dint of a good slice of Jerusalem - and some stability for the area.

And stacks of tourist bucks into the bargain.

Anyway, the West have now stepped back and said that there was to be no more cash for the Palestinian Authority as a result of Hamas' fairly unpleasant view of Israel (wipe 'em out) and generally fundamentalist Islamic overtones. Oh, and they keep sending kids strapped with bombs into crowded buses and markets. Allegedly.

The new right-wing German Chancellor has told the EU not to fund them, the Americans via Conaleeza Rice have backed off and pretty much anyone is in a flap. At least for Westerners, this is a no-brainer. They're Islamic, a bit naughty so we can't fund them.

Here's a tricky one - What if you're Egypt?

The Egyptians have been pretty patient with the Palestinian Authority for reasons known only to themselves. Egypt, while Islamic, is a pretty easygoing kind of place but have stuck up for the Authority. This might have something to do with the Israelis inflicting a pretty humiliating defeat in their Barak-led invasion, but that's probably only part of the story. Basically, the Egyptians aren't going to put up with Hamas' crap.

Except the Islamic countries are banding together with each other no matter how nutty some of their members are. The foot-stomping Western rhetoric that greeted the Iranian President's absurd utterances about wiping out Israel was not really accompanied by the more moderate Muslim countries either taking him aside and giving him a swift kick in the pants or a public, 'Well, er, his comments have been taken out of context'-type utterance. They said 'ooh-eer' but that was about it.

They just kept quiet. It's unlikely they agree with him because the Americans will preserve Israel seeing they had a big hand in starting this whole mess (albeit via the UN) and they also let Israel get away with routine murder and pillage. I can't see the Egyptians subscribing to either the Iranians' or the Hamas view of the world.

They're being backed into a corner now because if Hamas get a bit funky with the Israelis (and they'll get funky back) there is going to be a huge battle. And the Islamic countries will have no choice but to join in, at least in a supportive sense and make the American countries cranky. Think about it - American troops might be having to blast Egyptians, Indonesians, Afghanis and Malaysians. Unlikely, but possible.

The Americans and the Egyptians are surely going to have to get themselves into a room and start to talk about this. Hamas are unlikely to talk to the Americans and the Americans themselves will have to break their own 'We don't negotiate with terrorists' rule.

This one is going to get interesting...