Palestinian Electons: Spinning Hamas

Today are "elections" in "Palestine" monitored by that great unambiguous statesman Jimmuh Carter. Hamas poised to grab power.

Dr. Dore Gold: Hamas is World-Jihad Motivated

"It is important to say," Dr. Gold emphasized, "that Hamas is an organization that identifies with the goals of world jihad. [Hamas leader] Mahmoud A-Zahar has said that Hamas victories are supposed to strengthen the mujahidin i [Islamic terrorists] in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Hamas sheikhs provide inspiration for Al-Qaeda...

In a democracy, political parties have responsibilities as well as rights. In a democracy, political parties are not simply armed militias some of whose members have decided to seek votes.

In a democracy, political parties accept the idea of voter sovereignty; they accept the idea  -- historically quite radical -- that rulers serve at the pleasure of voters, not because they have the power to rule and not by divine right.

Hamas is an armed militia. It is a terrorist organization. It rejects voter sovereignty. The fact that a "large fraction of Palestinians" support it does not necessarily qualify it as a legitimate political party entitled to participate in democratic society.

- Cliff May

UPDATE: Polls closed about an hour ago. Early indications from exit polling show Hamas with 34% of the vote.

So Hamas gets exactly what it wanted. It did not want to win. It did not want to run a country, pick up garbage, build infrastructure. HAMAS WANTED POWER.

Hamas has not put down its arms. It's not a cease fire. It's  a temporary calm. Their strategy?  A doctrine of response......if they see a perceived subjectively defined Israeli violation, and they see it as their within right to respond - that's quite a loophole.

Theyentered this ceasefire process because they were beaten back so badly. It's a function of power relationships not a function of them suddenly becoming zionists. The danger is as they rearm during this whole period and the PA doesnt do anything sigificant to disarm them that they will become very powerful again and this is what needs to be watched very carefully.

UPDATE: Vital Perspective has the best coverage in the sphere here

Exit Polls on Palestinian Elections Coming In

The polls are now closed in the Palestinian elections and early exit polls show that Fatah has won 40% of the vote and Hamas 30%. There was a heavy turnout of 60% according to Israel Army Radio, which benefited Fatah.

UPDATE (1/25 @ 2:32PM): Israel's Channel 2 reports that Fatah will win 43% and Hamas 32%. The Palestinian Central Election Commission put turnout at 73%. Voting was extended by two hours until 9:00PM local time (2:00PM Eastern time) in East Jerusalem.

UPDATE (1/25 @ 3:05PM): Reuters is reporting a new exit poll that has Fatah winning 45% and Hamas 42%.

UPDATE (1/25 @ 3:49PM): A revised an-Najah University poll shows Fatah at 46% and Hamas at 40%. The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research has Fatah at 42% and Hamas 35%. A Bir Zeit University poll has Fatah at 47% and Hamas at 44%. Vital Perspective predicted such an outcome, and we refer you to our post at Publius Pundit on the reverberations this will send across the region.

 

Comments

[MarcH]

Readers may wish to check out the site of Gold's excellent think tank, Jerusalem Center For Public Policy, http://www.jcpa.org/.

[Cincinnati_Bob]

Does it matter whether Fatah or Hamas win?

6 of one if you ask me.