TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The Israeli government decided Friday not to jump the gun but wait at least until Sunday before reacting to Hamas' take-over in the Palestinian Authority.
The new Legislative Council will be sworn in on Saturday. Hamas, that has 74 of its 132 seats, will control it. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is to address its opening session, in Ramallah, give an idea of where he wants to head, and possibly hear delegates' reactions.
The Israeli government clamped a heavy lid of secrecy on Friday's consultations. It declared the meeting "secret" and unauthorized reports about those deliberations are a criminal offence.
The official statement said the participants heard the defense and political echelons' "estimates and recommendations" and that Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will present his proposals to the full Cabinet on Sunday.
Some of the dilemmas, estimates and recommendations were however raised in recent days.
Apparently it is not clear whether Israel still aims to press Hamas to change now, despite a host of signs that that is unlikely to happen, or conclude that such a goal is hopeless and try to topple Hamas.
There is no doubt that Hamas militants and outspoken extremists are 'the bad guys' in Israeli eyes.
However there seems to be a pragmatic element that Hamas is now putting forward. Ismail Haniyye, who is considered a moderate, is mooted as Hamas' candidate for prime minister.
The question then is whether this pragmatism is genuine or a repetition of the Iranian model, when the first people the ayatollahs put forward after their revolution, were moderates and the regime's true colors appeared only later.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz cautioned that Hamas' attempt to present an "ostensibly responsible policy is just a honey trap to gain time" in order to consolidate its power.
Initially, at least, the Palestinians will have a two-headed administration: President Abbas, who genuinely seeks a negotiated settlement with Israel, heads one while a prime minister and legislature dominated by Hamas will head the other.
Hamas' covenant says that that all of the land of Palestine, which means Israel too, is "Consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgment Day."
It quotes Mohammed as having said: "The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews, when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Muslims, O Abdullah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him."
The defense establishment recommended a series of harsh measures that were to go into effect Saturday night: Closing the Gaza Strip's border with Israel, except for humanitarian cases and the transfer of fuel, water and electricity that are considered humanitarian. Several thousands workers would lose their jobs and Gaza's trade with the West Bank and foreign countries would be hampered. Israel's nearby Ashdod port will no longer serve the Palestinians, which means they would have to haul their goods across the Sinai Peninsula to Port Said, and cost much more.
Another proposal called for freezing all financial transfers to the Palestinian Authority. It could collapse without those funds.
Hamas has, however, honored the cease-fire and some people there seemed interested in arrangements with Israel.
The Ynet news website said that the National Security Council cautioned against hasty measures that might boomerang. Israel Radio quoted unnamed officials as saying the Palestinians might react to Israeli moves and therefore Israel should wait.
Foreign Minister Zippi Livni has been highlighting the need for a united international front that would press Hamas to accept the Quartet's call that "all members of a future Palestinian government must be committed to non-violence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap."
In that statement the Quartet, comprising the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, urged also "Both parties to respect their existing agreements, including on movement and access." That was obviously directed at Israel.
If there is an erosion in the international position what will motivate Hamas to change? Livni asked.
In order to maintain a united front Israel had to consider foreign advice.
The European Union's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, visited Israel and the Palestinian Authority this week and after meeting Abbas said the EU is, "Committed to continuing to support the PA... until the formation of a new government." The government, he said, not the Legislative Council.
"Then, we will see what is its composition and program. Further decisions will be taken accordingly," Solana added.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak spent hours with Livni and Mofaz trying to persuade Israel to give Hamas a chance.
Mubarak told Channel 1 TV Hamas is bound to change. "Every movement in the world changes.... You have to give them an opportunity.
"They met here ... three to four days ago. There is a kind of understanding regarding the nature of situation. I cannot give details on the matter on television but I reiterate that I am convinced that there is a joint understanding relating to the peace process," he said.
In the plane, on his way home from Cairo, Mofaz told reporters he had discussed with his hosts ideas "that I do not intend to talk about."
He said he would brief Olmert and the inner Cabinet on it and Israel would have to hold very serious discussions "after what I heard here and my impressions."
The meetings with the Egyptian president, defense minister and chief of intelligence were "very important and very significant in forming Israel's future position," Mofaz added.
In Jerusalem, after Friday's consultations, the Foreign Ministry's spokesman Mark Regev told UPI: "We'll be watching very closely what is said and what is done in Ramallah... Much depends on what happens tomorrow."
