In an unexpected upset, the terrorist group Hamas has claimed a majority of the seats in the Palestinian elections held yesterday. The Fatah faction of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was expected to narrowly win over Hamas, but it appears that Hamas did better than expected. In the wake of Fatah’s loss, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei has stepped down from his post.
This is extremely bad news. The only thing that was moderating Hamas’ position was the expectation that they’d be a minority to Fatah. Now that they have power, it seems less likely that they will feel the need to be moderate anymore. It is quite possible that unless the situation changes, there could be open warfare between Israel and Palestine once again. Hamas’ goal is nothing less than the destruction of Israel, and neither the US nor Israel will negotiate with a government led by the terrorist group.
The effects of this election are going to have ripple effects in Israel. Facing such a threat, Ehud Olmert is going to look comparatively weak – the results of the Gaza disengagement now appear to have been an increase in radicalism. This is a major win for Binyamin Netanyahu and Likud who take a much harder line than Ariel Sharon’s Kadima Party. The political vacuum created by Sharon’s stroke and Olmert’s decision to allow voting in East Jerusalem may harm Kadima’s prospects in March when Israel holds its election.
What happens now is almost entirely in the hands of the leadership of Hamas. It seems that the EU will continue to treat the Palestinians with kid gloves despite Hamas’ victory and despite EU official Javier Solana’s claims to the contrary – even though the EU also recognizes Hamas as a terrorist group. Hamas has this opportunity to lay down arms, support continued negotiations with Israel, and support an open and tolerant civil society for Palestine. Sadly, that would mean that Hamas would have to turn its back on everything that it’s stood for previously.
Make no mistake, Hamas is an agency that stands for the extermination of the state of Israel and the liquidation of its people. It is a radical, dangerous terrorist group that is not to be trusted. The US government must not offer such a government recognition unless it takes dramatic steps to demonstrate a true commitment to peace in the region – and that is something that Hamas will simply never do.
(puts his head in his hands and sobs)
Break out the AK’s and Uzis, boys, it’s gonna be a hot time in old Jerusalem…
How does this fit in with “the democracy scoreboard”? I assume we chalk another one up for the bad guys.
Shows that Fatah and Hammas are one in the same.
Well, it was a democratic election. The problem is that democratic elections don’t always equate with democracy – you have to have civil society as well. Elections are quick, civil society takes decades.