Hamas is changing its approach, if only slightly. When the Palestinian party unveils its new charter May 1 in a meeting from its political base in Doha, Qatar, the document will largely replicate the content of its current platform, adopted in 1988. The new charter, for example, promises to continue Hamas' Islamist ideology and opposition to Israel, whose sovereignty the group refuses to recognize. Still, the anticipated changes, though small, are significant. The document is expected to strike a softer tone overall, calling for moderation and unity in the global Islamic community while modifying previous language about Israel in an attempt to broaden the party's appeal and appease its foreign benefactors. And if the final version recognizes the Palestinian borders established in 1967, it will signal a powerful concession for the party, which has steadfastly insisted on the long-since obsolete boundaries that existed before 1948.
The adjustments, coupled with the personnel...
