Why can we talk to Hamas about Shalit, but not peace?

"You are off course on everything and on course to bolster the palestinian cause which we all know only weakens Israel." Connie Palestine gave birth to Israel and thus Israel is nothing and has no real legimacy in the world without the Palestinian people and their seal of approval. That's how important the Palestinian people are and how foolish Israeli leaders look running to Washington when they should be talking and negotiating with the folks in Ramallah. That's where the real power resides....Dutch

I applaud your sincerity and wish it would work. I don't think it will, not only based on the contemporary evidence mentioned by other posters, but by an historical tradition of the Middle Eastern mind, going back centuries before the fall of the Ottoman empire. (And yes, Mohammed's idea of idealism in passing, but back further than that.) Perhaps I am wrong, but Israel is based on a predominantly western culture and mind set... honesty, integrity, and, please don't laugh, chivalry, ensuing from the Diaspora to northern Europe. (Of course there were negative influences, but still, the Hebrews survived those with, I feel, integrity.) Go back to Homer (about 3,000 years ago) and Virgil (around 2,000 years ago) to see what I mean. The Iliad and the Odyssey suggest chicanery, war, and vengeance are ideals that impel the heroic character, and the Aeneid a thousand years later presents war, rather than peace, conquest rather than harmony.

In Gaza and Damascus sit tough but reasonable statesmen.... really. Obstinate with machismo... yes, fanatically obsessed with religion... absolutely. Reasonable statesmen... not by a long shot. After a cordial invitation to negotiate, the answer we heard so far was... Zionist vulgarity. I suspect Gideon Levy is getting way ahead of himself. Let's see these interlocutors move to a more centrist position. Matter in fact, let's see Hamas fully control Islamic Jihad... maybe then, we can take this process at face value.

How can Israelis expect to make in the Middle East East not talking to Hamas? They are the democratically elected representatives of the Pale-stinian people and Israelis will not succeed (despite what they are told by the propaganda machine) ignoring them. Indeed I will go so far to predict they will fail as people and will be abandoned as a people if they don't. Their government's hostilities and aggression towards Hamas and the Palestinian people is a recipe for disaster. Yes, an absolute disaster as the world rises up against Israel in a moral rage and spit in Its officials faces and refuses to handle their goods & papers. That's the real existential threat to Isreal today and it is occuring across the world on college campuses, towns and citicies. Yes, including the US where their officials fail to reflect their peoples' growing disgust with Israel. Dutch

And only Nixon could go to China. The chances of a deal between a segment of Arab nations, and the current Israeli and American administrations is real. Israel and Hamas-ruled Gaza are political facts and an exchange of Hamas prisoners for Shalit is in both's interests and supports co-existence. Only Bibi can neutralize his own right wing and keep negotiations on track. It will be interesting to see if any additional Arab players want to move up to the formal co-existence obtaining between Israel and Egypt & Jordan.

A Qassam barrage on the day the last Israeli left Gaza. What was the Hamas message to encourage the Israeli peace camp? How did that encourage peace negotiations? Give Israelis reason to trust in a peace process.? What message are Isralis supposed to take from Hamas TV calling for genocide?

Have you not noticed that talking to hamas about the fate of Gilad Shalit has produced nothing but torturing twists and turns for the family. They are playing Israel like a cat plays with a mouse and believe me these ingrates are enjoying every minute of this horrific game. Yes Gideon you talk to hamas about peace...let us see if you survive with your head still on your shoulders. I would not bet on it.If you have not understood,by now,the psyche of the enemy then you will never understand anything and of course you prove this from your writings. You are off course on everything and on course to bolster the palestinian cause which we all know only weakens Israel.

We one one and not the other

A Hamas barrage whenever things look like calming down. You need go no further than the Hamas barrage as the last Israeli left Gaza. What was the message to the Israeli peace camp with that barrage? How did it strengthen their case against those who do not trust the intentions of Hamas? How do Hamas calls for genocide in their state controlled media strengthen the peace camp? Looking forward to your explanation.

Levy calls the Hamas leaders in Gaza and Damascus "reasonable statesmen," and he asserts that the Palestinians held in Israeli prisons "used base means to achieve a just objective." Is obliteration of Israel (the stated goal of Hamas) a "just objective," Mr. Levy? Are Hamas leaders who pursue this objective "reasonable" or "statesmen?" Mr. Levy is not devoid of sympathy for Israelis; he at least has called terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians in pre-1967 Israel "base means." But Mr. Levy is at heart an advocate of the Palestinian cause, which he views as a higher priority than the continued existence of the world's only Jewish state.

Why can we talk to Hamas about Shalit, but not peace? where do you live Mr.Levy ??.Hamas want caos,not peace. You are a grow up men,suppose to know this basics. The perverse link you make,Shalit-Talking peace,is possible what you learned from the terrorists. they are specialists in perverse linking that show that "the other"is to blame.

Mr. Levy: Hamas refuses to discuss peace of any kind. Read their charter. Listen to their daily calls for the blood of Jews everywhere, not just in "occupied" land. Wake up already.

In my opinion (I am an italian woman lawyer)It's importan to talk, because only in this way Israel can find peace, not with the war. But I think how many people think like you in Israel. BRAVO MR. LEVY

If Hamas wanted to live in peace with Israel, that would be known. Instead they keep on saying they want a Palestinian state. They don't talk about peace.

"This is a fundamentalist organization that talks about a hudna, a temporary cease-fire, not about peace; perhaps that is the price of the foolish destruction Israel has visited on the institutions of the Palestinian Authority and PLO, which of course were immeasurably more congenial interlocutors." - GL in the above article Levy's eyes are wide open. Would that our government's eyes weren't wide shut. The German mediator can help set the agenda for further talks. Hamas and the PLO have to patch things up and go to the table.

Is there a big difference between a 20-year hudna and a peace treaty? The peace treaty that ended the first world war did not last 20 years, and it still was a peace treaty. If, during the 20 years of a hudna, Palestine becomes a prosperous country, with its economy deeply integrated to the economy of Israel, peace will last beyond the 20 year period. On the other hand, if Israel and some Palestinian faction manage to sign a peace treaty which most Palestinians regard as unjust, in less than twenty years a new leadership may emerge and declare the treaty no longer valid.

Eli, you talk about Hamas charter. Do you know in which condition was it writtent ? Hopefully, this charter should adapt itself to the circonstances.

so that they can destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamic state. Read their charter and the statements of their leaders. However, a very long hudna, say 15 or 20 years would still be to Israel's advantage. It will be impossible to rely on the UN or other international forces to stop Hamas from rearming so these years need to be spent doing two things: 1) Developing a missile defence shield for all trajectories, preferably one that can shoot down the rockets and missiles close to the launch site. 2) Developing a cost effective alternative to oil. The government should cut its budgets accross the board so that at least 30% of the budget for the next 10 years goes into R&D for these two projects.

Dear Gideon Levy. Great article, thanks! You make the world believe piece is possible between Israel and Palestine. That is an important first step towards piece.

If Hamas wanted to talk to Israel about a peace for both sides, then absolutely you would have a strong argument Gideon. Diplomacy is much better than violence. But now? When Hamas don't even recognise Israel's existence? And Hamas aren't talking to the other Palestinian faction? What would the Israelis talk about?

fatah is getting nervous, where will all the money come from?

Maybe. Otherwise could one take this as an attempt at desinformation of the public. There are indeed enough clients for such a self-intoxicating lecture about the numberless options of Israel, which the bad-bad Israelis permanently refuse to see. Mr. Levy is surely a very-very good Israeli. He is ready to play both parts: for the Hamas and for Israel so that his obsessive political monologues might get the hue of a dialogue. What prohibitions does he speaks about on Israeli side? Haven't we have already the declaration of Mr. Mofaz about his readiness to discuss with anybody wishing peace on the two-states terms? Is there any Hamas interest into picking this up? Mr. Levy ought to know this best. Any phone call from Hamas? Not yet?

Hammas will want peace once Israel is a Palestinian state under Sharia law. I am confident that they will want peace at this stage. Sahalaam.

I'm an Oleh Hadash (but not a young one) and usually disagree with Gideon Levy. But what he says about Hamas does make some sense. But Levy presents the other side as if it had no flaws. I believe Israel would consider talking to Hamas about a two state solution living side by side in peace. Hamas does not accept to put this on its agenda, so what remains to talk about? Syria accepts the principle of land for peace, so does the Palestinian Authority, and most of the Arab-Muslim world, so why not Hamas? If it is a tactic, than I ask: is this approach proven successful so far or the palestinian people?

Israel will consent to terms of Peace only after it lost a war and face total destruction. But then other side might prefer destruction rather than making peace with Israel

If the ideas of Mr. Lieberman are endorsed by the majority of Israelis, then also the ideas of hamas are endorsed by the majority of Palestinians, but as we agree that hamas' ideas are wrong why should we think that the ideas of Lieberman are more accurate? Sometimes truculent minds find it hard to see veracity, it is a fact that peace is better than war, for even a victorious war exacts a heavy price!

even getting back gilead seems impossible. even in exchange for many hundreds of legally condemned terrorists, the government has not been able to reach a deal. hamas has preferred war and loss of their civilians and their own men rather than give back gilead. hamas is irrational, and those who have not noticed, might want to take note.

Hamas would like to obliterate Israel. Why negotiate and bolster them in their tactics of violence and kidnapping? Ironically, Bibi will be the instrument by which negotiations and a settlement is reached. By suppressing the left with fear mongering, he has taken on the historic necessity to implement peace and contradict his expansionist ideals. Both Bibi and Levy are guilty of the same brand of letting their ideology wag them. Negotiate, but not with kidnappers and terrorists.

I raise my hat and buckle my jacket for such analysis, but I fear that it does not have enough testosterone for this region!

The Pals in prison for murdering scores of innocent people simply "used base means to achieve a just objective". Ouch. Unfortunately, there is no law against using base means to achieve a just objective. But there is a law against, for example, dispatching a zombie in a bomb vest to do a number on a pizza parlor. Levy seems incapable of understanding the difference.

I agree with the author and as important as Shalit's well-being is, it is imperative that Israel looks for a lasting solution to ensure that this does not happen in the future. Israel is the 'brain' of the world. An Israel at peace in the region will be a boon for humanity. I have always been an admirer of your country and I am happy that India shares a very good rapport with your country.

Why indeed talk to Hamas in order to obtain the release of Gilad Shalit, but refuse to negotiate a political solution? There have been many opportunities for successive Israeli governments to talk to Hamas, but Israel's actions so far speak loud and clear. If at any time a cease-fire threatens to hold or peace is about to break out a few provocative killings here, tightening of the siege there along with a stepping up of the expansion of the colonies and the destruction of Palestinian homes will yield the desired result. The reason is obvious: Israel prefers to 'manage' the crisis, because peace will make it impossible to grab more land and build more colonies. As long as the USA and EU continue to allow Israel to play this game no progress will be made. Sustained political and economical pressure on Israel is needed; a rude awakening. Only then will the rabid minority of religious and secular ultras be reined in and the two state solution pushed through.

If the international community holds so much stock in Obama, wasn't he the one that went out of his way when campaigning to say that we should talk and negotiate with our enemies.

Gideon!i expect you to be much much more smarter than this stupid question hamas profolio is writen to nothing but destruction of israel and creating of islamic country in place go read it haval the zman

BRAVO Gideon, BRAVO.

Mr. Levy, the Hamas charter is available to read on websites, libraries, and online databases. I suggest you read what Hamas' goals are, as stated in the charter, before claiming they are a suitable partner for peace.

Mr Levy's understanding is distorted, not Israeli logic, in my opinion. As far as I understand, Hamas talks when it's in their interest, i.e. exchanging one Israeli soldier for thousands of their own. Hamas explicitly has announced and still announces, as has all other terrorist groups, that they DON'T WANT PEACE with Israel. So who is there to talk to about peace? It's time for us to understand what Israel's enemies are saying, instead of living with wishful thinking. However, if Mr Levy honestly believes in what he is saying, why doesn't he try starting to talk peace with Hamas? By now, he must know many of them. The realistic minded people of Israel would all be grateful to Mr Levy in eternity.