Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams paid a brief and meaningless visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
He urged that Israel and Hamas enter into a dialogue to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict, which cannot be solved militarily, adding that Israel can achieve security only by recognizing the rights of the Palestinian people. The Sinn Fein leader said he is against presenting Hamas with preconditions, such as recognition of Israel, since mutual recognition can be a product of dialogue.
“In my experience, preconditions can only serve as an excuse for lack of progress in negotiations,” Adams said.
It would be nice to look at the supposed parallels between Sinn Fein and Hamas on the one hand, and the UK and Israel on the other, and to find some reason for hope. But as far as I know, Sinn Fein never called for the complete destruction of the United Kingdom, or for raising the flag of Ireland over every inch of England, Scotland and Wales.
