if I was Hamas

My advice to Hamas:

• Declare independence! No one is going to give the Palestinians their independent state. Do what Israel did. Create it yourself.
• Renounce indiscriminate attacks on civilians (ie, terrorism). But reserve the right to attack legitimate military targets in self-defence.
• Negotiate a ceasefire to create space in which to build a strong economy.
• Reign in the militias who will not tow the line and discourage the suicide bombers.

The Palestinians have to learn something from history. What would Lenin have done? What would Mao have done? What for that matter, would Bill Gates have done? Make concessions, surrender territory. Whatever you need to do to buy time. Then use the time to build strength and consolidate.

Declare independence from both Egypt (Gaza) and Jordan (West Bank). End the sham that Israel forced upon Egypt and Jordan after the 1948 war. Israel got its state by declaring independence. Why can't you? Most of the countries in the world would probably recognize you. But you have to force their hand. Even the Arab states fear the Palestinians achieving statehood.

This is the only way out for you. Hamas is the legitimate, democratically elected representative of the Palestinian people. But your support and legitimacy will be eroded away as Israel strangles Gaza and talks up Fatah. A bold initiative is your only hope. You have to seize the high ground.

Call Israel's bluff. Agree to put an end to terrorism and see how they respond. You know they will never give up an inch until America forces them to. And this isn't going to happen under this US President or the next. The current round of peace talks can only end in humiliation for Fatah and deeper despair for all Palestinians. Only Israel wins from playing the stalling game. The best way to defeat Israel and Fatah is for you to give the Palestinians their own state. Now!