Summary of News & Opinions on Hamas Victory
By Andrew Cochran
It's official: Hamas won 76 of the 132 seats in the PNA parliament, with Fatah winning 43 seats and the Prime Minister and cabinet resigning. The victors and the vanquished are already fighting, "Hamas and Fatah activists clashed at the Palestinian parliament in the West Bank city of Ramallah...the trouble started after Hamas members hoisted a green Hamas flag at the entrance to the building, and Fatah supporters tried to tear it down." Despair in Israel: "On the streets of the Jewish state, there was grave concern at the victory of the Hamas movement that carried out nearly 60 suicide bombings during a Palestinian uprising and is formally dedicated to destroying Israel." Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert states, "I will not negotiate with a government that does not meet its most basic obligations -- to fight terrorism." President Bush says the U.S. position on Hamas hasn't changed, ""If your platform is the destruction of Israel, you're not a partner in peace" and any such group "is a party with which we will not deal." But Arab commentators and Islamists predict an eventual rapprochement, "(Israel and the United States) will have no alternative but to deal with Hamas." Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says the Hamas victory would be a "very, very, very negative thing." Top EU official says, "We are prepared to work with any Palestinian government, if this government seeks peace, using peaceful means." U.N. envoy to the Middle East Alvaro de Soto sweeps Hamas' long history of terrorism and unchanged goals under the rug, "Let's judge the participants in the government by what they do, not by what they have said in the past." The Iranian government congratulates Hamas, "The massive participation of the Palestinians shows their will to continue the struggle and resistance against occupation." One academic sees a silver lining, "Had they won 30-35 percent of the seats, they could have stayed out of power but put enormous limits on the Palestinian Authoritys room to maneuver. By winning, they have to govern, which means they have to tell the world, very soon, a number of things."
Pictures of Hamas victory celebrations:
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