Hamas men seize parliament amid clashes with Fatah loyalists

[bemildred]

RAMALLAH - Hours after unofficial results indicated Hamas' clear victory in the Palestinian elections, Hamas supporters poured into the Palestinian parliament amid clashes with Fatah loyalists.

The Hamas supporters then raised the Hamas flag over the building.

The two camps threw stones at each other, breaking windows in the building, as Fatah supporters briefly tried to lower the green Hamas banners. The crowd of about 3,000 Hamas backers cheered and whistled as activists on the roof of the parliament raised the Hamas banner again.

Haaretz

[bemildred]

1. Analysis: Hamas will probably continue observing the calm

Fourteen months after the death of Yasser Arafat, the Fatah movement he had established has lost its 41-year-long supremacy over the Palestinian national movement.

According to current predictions, Hamas may hold 75-80 seats in the next parliament, and lead to the collapse of Fatah, which was immersed in internal struggles up until a short time before the elections, and did not notice that Hamas was overtaking it.

The Palestinian Authority is now facing a complex constitutional situation, whereby the elected Palestinian chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, who is also the chairman of the minority Fatah movement, could face a Hamas-led parliament which in turn would appoint a government which advocates significantly different policies to that of the chairman.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/675297.html

[bemildred]

2. Bush urges Abbas to remain in office despite Hamas victory

A number of other response from world leaders in this one.

United States President George W. Bush urged Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday to remain in office despite the legislative elections which gave Hamas an absolute majority.

Bush reiterated the U.S. position that Hamas cannot be partner for Middle East peacemaking without renouncing violence, and that the U.S. will not deal with Palestinian leaders who do not recognize Israel's right to exist.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/674865.html

[bemildred]

3. Likud: Hamas victory a direct result of disengagement plan

In the wake of the results of the Palestinian Legislative Council, the Likud Party said Thursday that the Hamas victory was a direct result of the disengagement plan and that Palestinians concluded from the Gaza pullout that terror and violence are the means to achieving diplomatic gains.

"The plan by Kadima and Labor for an additional unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank reflects a complete blindness to reality. Olmert and Kadima are establishing a Hamas terror state that will be an Iranian offshoot, only a few kilometers from Israeli population centers," according to Likud.

"Today it is clear that when Israel flees, Hamas rises. Olmert and Kadima's continued unilateral withdrawals will harm the personal security of each and every one of us," MK Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) said.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/675205.html

[joefree1]

4. What happen to "Democracy is on the March?"

The repukes told us it was going to a reverse Domino theory with each Arab country falling in step to the march of Democracy. Instead from Iran to Iraq to Syria to Palestine Bush has managed to flame the fires of religious Fundamentalism.

Are we having fun yet?

[regnaD kciN]

6. But this WAS democracy...

Even though you and I may deplore the result, the election of an Hamas majority was the result of a free and fair vote, certified by international observers led by former President Carter, with a voter turnout estimated at 77.7%.

If only we could achieve such a successful election in the U.S., we would be celebrating.

Part of "democracy" implies that the people choose their own leaders -- even if those outside the country calling for "democracy" would prefer they chose someone else. (Of course, it is the right of every other nation to choose whether or not they will deal with said government, no matter how it is chosen.)

[orwell]

5. Did anyone catch...

...*'s "musings that Hamas won because "the people" were sick of the corruption of the party in power.

Now which party does that sound like?

Big whoops... Unca Karl's gonna be mad...

[Behind the Aegis]

7. I heard that..saw it on The Daily Show too!

Let's just hope the American Nazi Party and the KKK don't join forces to run candidates, lest people vote them in to power because the American people are tired of Republican corruption and Democrats unwilling to confront it.