The media in the last couple of weeks have been filled with stories about the declining Palestinian economy in Gaza and on the West Bank. In order to avoid what some have described as “a humanitarian disaster” the so-called Quartet consisting of the United States, the EU, Russia and the UN, has proposed a “temporary international mechanism” to send aid directly to the Palestinian people and bypass Hamas. The objective of this approach is to support the Palestinian people while avoiding contributions to Hamas until it meets the Quartet's conditions of recognizing Israel and renouncing violence.

There is no question that the Palestinian economy is suffering because of the cut off of foreign aid. Shopkeepers' businesses are a shadow of what they used to be. Traffic on main thoroughfares has radically declined.

Approximately thirty percent of the Palestinian population depends on salaries from the Palestinian Authority. That authority is nearly bankrupt and is not able to pay salaries to those on the public dole. The Palestinian economy was based on government handouts and fueled by corruption. Western money was used to keep this scam going during Arafat's regime and it continued with Abbas. With the cutoff of Western funds following the election of Hamas, this con game has ended, at least temporarily.

Unquestionably, the Palestinian economy and its people are hurting economically. However, they are the cause of the problem and they can provide the solution. It is the Palestinian people who voted overwhelmingly for Hamas to control their government. They must now suffer the consequences.

It was no surprise when Hamas, fresh from its election victory, announced its political program. It would not recognize any agreement made with Israel by prior governments. It was determined to destroy Israel as a nation and would not negotiate with the Israelis in any manner. Finally, it had no intention of renouncing violence.

This is precisely the position that Hamas took prior to the elections. Palestinians voting for Hamas knew that this is how they would behave if they won. Yet they were elected.

We can feel sorry for innocent Iraqis caught up in the cycle of violence that prevails throughout the country as Shiites and Sunnis battle each other. The Iraqi people didn't go to the polls and vote for that state of affairs. Political leaders and heads of militias are doing their best to impose chaos on the country.

The Palestinians are another matter. Nations, when they vote, are a collection of individuals. Nations must bear the responsibility for their actions just as individuals operating on their own do. Perpetrators of violent crime deserve to face the consequences of their actions – so too with nations.

The thus far pleasantly surprising part of this story is that the United States has been able to persuade the EU, Russia and the UN to withhold the great bulk of aid for the Palestinians in an effort to force Hamas to recognize Israel and renounce violence. If the Hamas government will not do so and the Palestinian people continue to suffer, then they have an alternative. Theirs is a parliamentary government elected by the people. They can change that government and elect officials who will behave in a civilized manner, not threatening to destroy their neighbors.

Hamas even makes it difficult for the Quartet to supply any funds through this temporary international mechanism. The Israelis have accepted this approach. However, Hamas has been opposed to the Palestinians receiving any funds indirectly. The time has come for the Palestinian people to recognize that it is the officials whom they elected that are responsible for their economic condition. Sooner or later, the Palestinian people will come to that conclusion. Meantime, the United States must hold firm with the other members of the Quartet.

The ludicrous part of this situation is that for decades the Palestinians have been clamoring for an independent nationhood. The Israelis are prepared to agree to that as part of a solution to the conflict. All that remains is for the Israelis and the Palestinians to sit down at a negotiating table and settle issues such as borders, water rights, and security. To be sure, these are difficult issues. However, Israel was able to reach negotiated agreements with both Egypt and Jordan, notwithstanding equally difficult problems.

If the Palestinian government wishes to help its people then it should abandon the insane policy being pursued by Hamas and negotiate a settlement with Israel. There may not be much chance of this occurring in the foreseeable future. But the U.S. must maintain the pressure, because that alone leaves a possibility of achieving this objective.