The elevation of Hamas to a position of political authority has further damaged the reputation of the Palestinians. After all, Hamas is viewed as a terrorist organization by Israel, America, the European Union, Canada, and Australia. Thus, votes for Hamas are interpreted as votes for terrorism.

In truth, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an extremely emotional issue for the Western world at large as well as the greater Middle East. People tend to support "one side" over the other, when, in fact, only one side exists. The Palestinians and Jews should be living next to one another as friends, yet emotions get in the way of our ability to realize it.

Neighboring states to Israel, meanwhile, use the Palestinian cause as a source of domestic support all the while failing to provide their own citizens with basic freedoms. Palestinians must realize that these countries are not their friends. Never has Egypt or Jordan opened its doors to the Palestinians. Instead, they allowed them to live in utter destitution while convincing them that Israel was to blame.

Of course, Palestinians must open their eyes to these realities in order for peaceful coexistence to work. The election of Hamas, however, was a giant step backward. Admittedly, Hamas holds a certain appeal for the Palestinians. They have provided them with schools, mosques, daycare facilities, hospitals, and more. Nevertheless, Hamas' political message is clear: Israel is an enemy that must be destroyed. That message seeps freely through the social structures that Hamas has built and serves to radicalize the Palestinian youth. These activities are not geared toward realizing the best interests of the Palestinians, but rather the best interests of Hamas.

Once again, the Palestinians are being converted into political currency by the very people who are sworn to their protection.