Editorial: Terrorist heads security force

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 | 7:20 a.m.

Hamas, which took control of the Palestinian Legislative Council after elections in January, has done nothing in the intervening months to show that it is anything but a terrorist organization. Despite international pressure on Hamas, it has not renounced terrorism and still has not recognized Israel's right to exist. And, if it is possible, Hamas has taken a step backward this past week.

In a damaging, but not surprising, move, the new Hamas-led government last week appointed Jamal Abu Samhadana to a high-level post with duties including setting up a security force of militants tasked with - believe it or not - quelling chaos in Palestinian areas.

Abu Samhadana is the leader of the Popular Resistance Committees , a terrorist organization that has launched deadly attacks against Israel. He also has been blamed for an attack that killed three U.S. Marines in 2003. Abu Samhadana is a most-wanted figure in Israel.

His elevation to a government post hasn't resulted in him downplaying his true feelings about Israel. Abu Samhadana told the London-based Sunday Telegraph in an interview that "we have one enemy ... They are Jews ... I will continue to carry the rifle and pull the trigger whenever required to defend my people."

The appointment demonstrated "the true nature and the true tactics of this particular Hamas-led government," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has been engaged in a power struggle with Hamas, has denounced the appointment, too.

In short, Abu Samhadana is one of the worst possible choices for director-general of the Palestinian Authority Interior Ministry. His appointment not only confirmed that Hamas is unwilling to prevent terrorist attacks from occurring, but it also has justifiably made Israeli officials even more impatient with Hamas and its refusal to renounce violence.

Hamas has yet to emerge as a serious player in the peace process and thus far has shown that it has no interest in separating itself from its history as a terrorist organization. In the near term, at least, prospects for peace have grown ever-dimmer with the appointment of Abu Samhadana.