At the suggestion of Sevastapol, I thought I’d double-check my beliefs about Hamas’ goals and see if they are reasonable. I’ll state certain assumptions I have about Hamas and invite challenge in the interest of fighting my own ignorance on the subject. Whenever possible, I’d like cited references to official statements by Hamas (or other relevant parties) that either tend to support my assumptions or tend to disprove them. I’d like to make perfectly clear that all assumptions listed below are subject to challenge and I will not use emotional appeals to defend any of them, nor accuse challengers of using emotional appeals if they come to the thread with facts/quotes/cites.
Assumptions regarding Hamas’ plan for a Greater Palestine
[ul][li]Hamas wishes to unify all territory currently occupied by Israel, Gaza, the Golan Heights and the West Bank as a single state called, for the purposes of this discussion, “Greater Palestine”[/li][li]The governing system of Greater Palestine will be, at least at first, modeled on the parliamentary Knesset, including proportional voting and elected representatives and a largely ceremonial head of state (as is Israel’s President, currently). I make this assumption on the idea that some kind of attempt at a smooth transition will be made.[/li][li]All Palestinian refugees from the various wars now camped or housed or otherwise living in Syria, Egypt and Jordan, as well as their descendants, are offered the right of return.[/ul][/li]
Assumptions regarding Hamas’ behaviour after such a unification
[ul][li]Hamas itself may undergo radical change as a result of getting what it wants, as described above. I’m assuming the leadership will remain politically active.[/li][li]Hamas has stated its desire for Greater Palestine to be an official Muslim state[/li][li]Hamas has stated its desire in various ways for Israel to be “destroyed” or “obliterated” or “driven into the sea”. I’ve heard frequently that such rhetoric is for “internal purposes only”, i.e. to whip up the Muslim population. I don’t know how much of this attitude will persist in Greater Palestine. I’m assuming at least some of it.[/li][li]If the Muslim population ever exceeds the Jewish population (I’m assuming this is quite likely given a full right of return and the relative birth rates of the two cultures), votes will start to favour Muslim goals over Jewish ones. Constitutional protections for minority rights will be gradually stripped away. I base this assumptions on the actions of Muslim governments elsewhere. Political violence and assassination will become increasingly common. If the Jews don’t actively resist (I think they will, but I’m assuming Hamas expects them to be passive), Greater Palestine will eventually become an officially Muslim state, with Jews possessing few protections. They’ll become subject to increasing official and unofficial harassment and left with two choices - emigrate or rebel.[/ul][/li]
My question is: am I completely off-base here? Do any of the above assumptions demonstrate that I’ve been suckered somehow, by somebody? If so, to what end?