Someone needs to represent the Palestinian Authority. Arafat may not be effective here. If Hamas does, then it's in big trouble with the rest of the world. Thing is, they need representation in the UN for any of the mid-East problems to be resolved.

Hamas doesn't recognize Israel. I suspect that Arafat does. But if he doesn't have the support of the people, we are looking at another Iraq. The Intafada is futile. It can never acheive it's goal by violence. Peaceful protest is a possibility. At least it would make someone (UN?) sit up and notice. The US has it's own agenda which doesn't really address the issue of a sovereign Israel and Palestine. If this were really in our interests, we wouldn't be exporting weapons to Israel (and the rest of the world who we can control).

Frank