BurpusMe

I've been busy lately. When I'm busy, I tend to ignore the news... so naturally I was bewildered when I picked up on this today:

Palestine election win for Hamas

Israel Freezes Fund Transfer to Palestine

German aids to Palestine become conditional

Previously unknown to me as a political party, they appear to be far more acclaimed for their work in other areas.

Chong58

Although I really am not interested in politics, but I really suspect these Isealili guys to destroy anything by they acts...they really are trying to provoke Pal groups and flame ....

BurpusMe

Hi Chong -- that's just the thing, I'm not incredibly fascinated with politics either. It's just the nature of the news the blew my mind. I previously knew them as a radical faction, not a well-oiled political machine.

ZooZ

Let me put it this way...
you do not have an election + 1 party in power = corruption..
you have an election + more than one party compete + one party wins = Democracy...

but not in the eyes of Israel, US and most of the west,,??????

why????

because Hamas have been labelled over the past as a terrorist organisation. in fact what it is is this:
1- a party with a military wing (just like Fateh and all its competitors)
2- it takes a harderline with Israel when it comes to policy etc than Fateh
3- it is popular unlike its competitors... it must have been truthful and gained a lot of trust to gather 70%
4- it is harder work to deal with as it is not corrupt, organised, strict and hardline.

so I am afraid Democracy is what it is... this is what the palestinians want.. a hardline with Israel, an organised, a straightforward and a strong leadership, regardless of the radicalism element it carries... or did i miss something..

wmoore

While you make good points, I think you're missing the point of the OP.

I too didn't realise they were a political party, I just thought they were some militant group with radical views and the will to see them into reality. And I find it disturbing that they have been voted in.

ZooZ

Disturbing.... yes.. i can see that..
but not more disturbing than any rightwing party in Europ or the US wins an election.. and in the last few years we have seen few....

Personally.. I would not bank on the disturbing part too much because they were not voted in because they were radical...but because they were the only choice for hope.. believe it or not... it is a time where Palastiniens only hope is with someone who is strong and united.. not weak, corrupt and divided..

so personally.. i am not disturbed by it... it is just a reality and a phase at a time where choices are .... scarce..

wmoore

Got to disagree with you there. Right wing parties in Europe don't advocate killing those they dislike.

I also take your point that they were voted in because they were seen as the only choice for hope. It's just that in my opinion (and the opinion of many people more knowledgable than me) that the Palestinian people have been misguided in their decision.

ZooZ

misguided.. not sure.. the palestinians know what Hamas stand for more than you and me..

I do not think radicalism of any form is good but My point of view is actually optimistic... Hamas was there and strong and popular before the election and when Fateh was in government. they could not stop Hamas in any shape or form and that was a reality.. ...

now Hamas is in Government is a huge plus.. for the sake of peace.. Hamas now will be in a place where reform and moving the centre under both.. international and local accountability and pressure with rewards as well, it is definitly a move which is coming.. how and how long??.. i do not know... but Hamas will become less radical now they are in Government.. this is a good thing to all palestiniens and the region..

I am optimistic... by the way it happened before... Fateh was the same in the 80s.. they killed bombed and everything.. and their moto was the distruction of Israel.. .. until they became government they became centre...

Just from the overall aspect... I think it is a good thing.. a movement like Hamas you cannot remove or ignore or sideline.. but you can transform it and this is the best natural way to do it..

I am optimistic.. thats all

W10

Hamas is very well known in the region for its welfare and charity work for the Palestinians - and this is the ticket that they played upon.

It has a military wing - so does Fatah (the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade was one of Saddam Hussein's pet causes)

Hamas had no idea it was going to sweep to power in this way, so they will struggle to begin with. It presents them with an interesting dilemma, but they can't do any worse in terms of pure administration and politics than Hamas did.

I'd like to think that under Hamas, $700m won't just go missing....and that Abbas' wife won't be asking for $130m settlements while tens of thousands of Palestinians struggle to survive.

The US and EU policy seems ludicrous when you consider there is a strong track record for the succesful politicisation of resistance groups - Sinn Fein/IRA and the ANC to name but two.

The problem with the West is that democracy is only valid if it is the kind of democracy which suits them. Thus the election of Ahmadinejad and the election of Hamas (and in the future, the rise of Islamist parties in Egypt) are all portrayed as less than legitimate by the USA.

What hope is there for democracy in the Middle East (and of course Bolivia)when the people see the EU and America make threats about cutting funding and aid to a party which wins a free and fair democratic election. The view of the people doesn't count anymore then?

But on the other it ass kisses one of the least democratic regimes in the world (Saudi Arabia), and never mentions the fact that the UAE has never held an election.