Hamas captures election majority, officials say

[Izzy]

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Hamas won a huge majority in parliamentary elections as Palestinian voters rejected the longtime rule of the Fatah Party, throwing the future of Mideast peacemaking into question, officials from both major parties said Thursday.

Palestinian leaders huddled to determine what role the Islamic militant group will play in governing the territories.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will ask Hamas to form the next government, with his defeated Fatah Party weighing whether to form a partnership or serve in the opposition.

A Hamas government, without Fatah as a moderating force, would greatly complicate Abbas? efforts to restart peace talks. The Islamic militants, who carried out dozens of suicide bombings and seek Israel?s destruction, have said they oppose peace talks and will not disarm. Israel and the United States refuse to deal with Hamas and the two, along with the European Union, have classified Hamas as a terrorist organization.

The top Hamas leader, Khaled Mashaal told Abbas his group is ready for a political partnership, Hamas said.

Fatah legislator Saeb Erekat said the party does not want to join a Hamas government. ?We will be a loyal opposition and rebuild the party,? Erekat said, after meeting with Abbas.

But Nabil Shaath, another senior Fatah lawmaker, said the party?s leadership would make a decision later in the day.

Rice calls Abbas
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Abbas to praise Palestinian democracy and say the United States supports him and his policies, his office said.

?She asserted to him that U.S. administration will continue supporting the elected president and his policies,? said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, an Abbas aide.

Shortly afterward, the White House said President Bush will hold a news conference at 10:15 ET when he is likely to be quizzed about the political upset.

Abbas was elected separately a year ago and remains president. However, the Palestinian leader has said he would resign if he could no longer pursue his peace agenda. The Cabinet and legislature must approve any major initiative by Abbas, giving Hamas tremendous influence over peace moves.

Aides said he planned a major speech Thursday night, after final results are announced by the Central Election Commission.

Acknowledging the Hamas victory, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and his Cabinet ministers resigned Thursday ? hours before official results were released.

?This is the choice of the people. It should be respected,? Qureia said. ?If it?s true, then the president should ask Hamas to form a new government.? The Cabinet remained in office in a caretaker capacity.

Israelis discuss next steps
International observers, led by former President Carter, said the elections were ?well administered.?

Hamas supporters streamed into the streets to celebrate victory. In Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Hamas loyalists shot in the air and handed out candy. Others honked horns and waved Hamas flags from car windows.

Israeli officials declined comment, but senior security officials gathered Thursday to discuss the results. Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert scheduled talks with senior officials later in the day.

Olmert said Wednesday, before Hamas claimed victory, that Israel cannot trust a Palestinian leadership in which the Islamic group has a role.

?Israel can?t accept a situation in which Hamas, in its present form as a terror group calling for the destruction of Israel, will be part of the Palestinian Authority without disarming,? Olmert said in a statement issued by his office.

President Bush told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that the United States will not deal with Hamas until it renounces its position calling for the destruction of Israel.

World concern over Hamas policies
 
Reactions to the Hamas victory streamed in from around the world. Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, according to news reports, called it a ?very, very, very bad result.? Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU external relations commissioner, said Hamas must be ?ready to work for peace? with Israel if it joins the Palestinian government.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan congratulated the Palestinian people on the peaceful legislative elections, which he said was an important step toward a Palestinian state.

Hamas capitalized on widespread discontent with years of Fatah corruption and ineffectiveness. Much of its campaign focused on internal Palestinian issues, while playing down the conflict with Israel.

Before the election, Hamas had suggested it would be content as a junior partner in the next government, thus avoiding a decision on its relationship with Israel.

Throughout the campaign, leaders sent mixed signals, hinting they could be open to some sort of accommodation with Israel. Its apparent victory will now force it to take a clearer position on key issues, including whether to abandon its violent ideology.

Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas candidate who won election in the northern Gaza Strip, said peace talks and recognition of Israel are ?not on our agenda? but the group is ready for a partnership ? presumably with Abbas.

What a terrible day. One really does wonder about the middle east. Suicide bombers now run a country...

[Jim]

Politics?

Locked!


 

[Izzy]

Politics?

Locked!


 

Ur right, i totally forgot. Sorry....

Its not about American politics

[nesquick]

The security barreer should be built faster to separate Israel from those islamist barbarians.

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

The security barreer should be built faster to separate Israel from those islamist barbarians.

welcome the peace maker.



anyway.
thats sure is sad. this is not how things are gonna get better there.
people would be blind too, thinkin that it's only because of palestinian.
if you smuther, lock, jail, people (a wall !!!) , the more they get stupid, and irresponsible they get.

i guess the UN needs to take control of whats going on.
we can't let this parot of the world try to fix things by themselves

on one side you have religious fanatics who thinks they own a land cause it's written in a book .....
on the other side you have religious fanatics who are desperate.

UN needs to take control and do 50/50.
isnt how you fix things with kids when they argue over cake ? 50/50.

[nesquick]

I think you don't understand what's going on. I think you don't understand what the Hamas is. It's faschism right now in Palestine. It was a dictatorship when Arafat was here, but now it's even worthier. And you can't make peace with a terrorist organization who claims the destruction of Israel.
The truth is that the Arabic world is sick. The arabic world is turning into faschism. Everywhere. Look at what's going on in Iran. Now in Palestine. The Ayatollahs are taking power.

Hamas is even worthier than Arafat. It will not be easy.

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

I think you don't understand what's going on. I think you don't understand what the Hamas is. It's faschism right now in Palestine. It was a dictatorship when Arafat was here, but now it's even worthier. And you can't make peace with a terrorist organization who claims the destruction of Israel.
The truth is that the Arabic world is sick. The arabic world is turning into faschism. Everywhere. Look at what's going on in Iran. Now in Palestine. The Ayatollahs are taking power.

Hamas is even worthier than Arafat. It will not be easy.

yeah we know.  thats why i said it's sad.
but then again.
palestine, israel ... bunch of kids outt control.  the international community needs to get the hand on that part of the world.
50/50. thats what you do with kids.
they're fighting for land, cut it in half. isn't what fair+justice is supposed to be : half.

that was the idea at first (resolution 242). you can't go by " hey ! my god said it's my land !!! my land you hear !!! MIIIINNNEEE " .....

[Izzy]

That 50/50 idea doesn't work - neither side understands compromise. Both want as much as they can get, the solution has to come from them, it can't be enforced.

Also, people need to be careful with what they say about the Arab world - many Palestinians are as saddened by this as we are, and its not the religion at fault but a vicious organisation who have preyed on poor and often desperate peoples irrational fears. Hate the group, not the religion its connected with, not all Muslims support Hamas.

[nesquick]

It's not just a question of land (Israel retired from Gaza). It's just very difficult to discuss and make peace with people who are totally fanatized by Islamism. Iran finance the palestinian terrorism and Syria gives the Logistic, Hamas is financed by Iran and Supported by Syria, it's not just a Palestinian terrorist organization. It involves a lot of thing, wich make the whole thing even more difficult.

Israel did and does lots of concessions to make peace. The palestinians answer is "HAMAS". It's hatred. It's not 50/50, Israel is civilized, Palestine is not. Believe me, it's really difficult to "discuss" with people full of hatred. it's like the US with al quaida or France with GIA years ago. They are terrorist organizations, not politicians.

That's what Hamas is:

[November Rain 91]

true the israelis don't want to give up the land, but they have tried offering already, a number of times (most recently gaza). even if they can manage peace with some of the Palestinians, there will always be the extremists (Hamas, who has now been elected) who will never be happy. anyways, Hamas gaining power is a bad thing , they refuse to disarm, and they also refuse to give up their position of complete destruction of Israel. Also interesting to note: Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas candidate who won election in the northern Gaza Strip, said peace talks and recognition of Israel are ?not on our agenda? ? even better! peace isn't "on [their] agenda"...yeah...these people can be dealt with? a bad day indeed...

[nesquick]

true the israelis don't want to give up the land

They will. The Israelis agree for a trustable palestinian state, they just don't agree for a terrorist one. For the moment, I'm sorry to say the palestinians have chosen the second option for a long time. And it continues.

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

terrorism emerges where there is oppression ? right or right ?

israel ' the civilized ' -bombing kids is civilized now ? - needs to work on two levels : security and fight against terrorism > alright
but also
show that there is a need for a fait justice. meaning a fair share of the land. until you'll always have crazy fools (hamas) that will use the desperation of ones to justify there actions.

but i read how you talk nes. , i'm saddened, cause you 're very aggressive.
and again, you 're too much INTO the problem that it blurs your views.
and no, the solution CANNOT come from them, it's too late. they're kids. the UN must act.

[nesquick]

I'm not aggressive, it's just the reality. I call a terrorist a terrorist and an islamist an islamist.

terrorism emerges where there is oppression ? right or right ?

Wrong. Terrorism emerges where there is faschism. The 9/11 showed the Kamikazes were high educated people (Engineers etc...). They were not "oppressed" people. They were rich, educated and healthy.

israel ' the civilized ' -bombing kids is civilized now ?

Israel don't bomb the kids voluntary. Israel bomb the terrorist leaders. They avoid the civilians. It's a rule in Tsahal.

[Dr. Blutarsky]

Give the palestineans Gaza and the West Bank. Let them figure out their own affairs. Build a big wall, shoot any one who crosses.

[November Rain 91]

true the israelis don't want to give up the land

They will. The Israelis agree for a trustable palestinian state, they just don't agree for a terrorist one. For the moment, I'm sorry to say the palestinians have chosen the second option for a long time. And it continues.

just to clear up any confusion, i meant although they may not want to, they are willing to give up the land in exchange for peace. i agree with you nesquick. doesn't say much about the palestinian people's belief in peace if the majority of them elected a terrorist group to represent them.

israel has tried giving up land for peace it has not worked WAT-EVER, i'm totally buggin, you're sayin hamas won't go away until israel gives up more land. ok. isreal gives up more land, sending the message that they will respond to terrorism, opening themselves up to more attacks. they will not do that (nor would any sensible nation). israel isn't just going to cut the land in half tomorrow. they start small, like with gaza, but terrorist groups constantly ruin any progress made by such concessions with their suicide bombings

[nesquick]

I agree.
Besides, you give the Palestinian the democracy, you make effort for them to vote and express themself, you give them the chance to make peace, and in return they choose one of the most radical terrorist organization of the middle-east. nice!

[SLCPUNK]

I agree.
Besides, you give the Palestinian the democracy, you make effort for them to vote and express themself, you give them the chance to make peace, and in return they choose one of the most radical terrorist organization of the middle-east. nice!

This does kind of turn W's premise, that free people engaged in free elections won't choose terrorism, on it's head. Does it not?

On the other hand we wanted democracy in the middle east and we got it. A bitter pill to swallow since we do not like the results. We can not complain about it now when it does not suit the western wants. Should we ban elections because it may bring about religious nut jobs?

A majority vote for Hamas was a vote against the Fatah. Hamas is a murdering bunch of bastards and are the main sponsor of suicide bombers. However they are not as politically corrupt as Fatah and also have spent millions on healthcare and education for the Palestinians. This combination has brought them legitimacy among their own and where they are now.

If they can create a government that moderates the nutjob sect, then they may very well be the best thing that has happened to that region since 1948. I doubt it though.

Israel did and does lots of concessions to make peace........

Israel is civilized, Palestine is not.

Israel has repeatedly elected admitted terrorists as their prime minister (Shamir, Begin etc etc) and the U.S. has had no problem sponsoring them either.

[the dirt]

Israel has repeatedly elected admitted terrorists as their prime minister (Shamir, Begin etc etc) and the U.S. has had no problem sponsoring them either.

That's because the U.S. sucks Israel's balls.

[Dr. Blutarsky]

I think this is the first time a terrorist regime has taken power peacefully. I have a feeling there wont be another election when the time comes. Hamas will re write the law to give them absolute power over all aspects of Palestinean life as the Taliban did in Afghanistan. I think this election is the height of democracy for them, it all goes downhill from here.

[Izzy]

However they are not as politically corrupt as Fatah and also have spent millions on healthcare and education for the Palestinians.

An intresting choice to make at the ballot - corrupt governement or evil government. Hmm, might just have stayed away for that one

The millions they have spent has not exactly been aquired through hard work and wise investments, thats laundered drug money and worse being used