Additionally, the left should uphold basic democratic rights and support Hamas's right to take political power after having been elected by the Palestinian people in free and fair elections. Consequently, we should stand opposed to US and Israeli efforts to isolate Hamas and to collectively punish the people of Gaza. Part of the equation is also the consideration that allowing Hamas to rule unhindered would show that it, like other Islamist parties in power, does not really have a solution to the problems faced by the Palestinian people. This vacuum could then potentially be filled by a secular left committed to more effective strategies for liberation that could link the Palestinian struggle with those of Arab workers and the oppressed throughout the region, regardless of religious affiliation.

QUESTION: This is a speculative strategic bet that Hamas's governance failures would create openings for a secular left. The assumption that failure in power produces political space for rivals is contestable and worth checking against historical cases. XREF: Connects to the broader left debate about whether empowering Islamist parties is a viable strategy for advancing secular/progressive aims, echoing arguments made in other regions about Islamist movements. SEED: Could angle an essay on whether 'unhindered rule leads to political displacement' actually holds, testing the claim against cases like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politi…, loc. 364