| Quote: |
Hamas sweeps to election victory
Islamic militant group Hamas has won a surprise victory in Wednesday's Palestinian parliamentary elections.
Preliminary results give Hamas 76 of the 132 seats in the chamber, with the ruling Fatah party trailing on 43.
The win poses problems for efforts to restart peace talks with Israel, say analysts. Israel insists it will not deal with an authority including Hamas.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Fatah party, says he remains committed to a peaceful settlement.
"Our main objective is to end the occupation and have an independent Palestinian state," he said at a news conference after the results were announced. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4650788.stm
I know when people read my reaction, their initial reaction might be one of incredulity, but please read on.
I actually think this is one of the most productive things that could have happened in terms of the future. If Fatah would have won, what would Hamas do? They would still continue to bomb Israel, send suicide bombers, etc. Now that they have control of the parliament and government, they have to cease fire, otherwise aid from other countries to Palestine would stop and that would destroy their chances in the next election. They have to negotiate with Israel in order to survive politically.Peace with Isreal brings about the end of the world. Peace in the middle east brings about the end of the world. It's so strange.
I agree. This way Hamas could hold itself more responsible. Maybe it is a good thing. Only time can really tell though.
In response to soulfire: | Soulfire wrote: |
| Peace with Isreal brings about the end of the world. Peace in the middle east brings about the end of the world. It's so strange. |
it's not necessarily a cause and effect situation. Have you considered that it could be the end of the world as we know it? It quite possibly could be an improvement 
I agree that this is a really good thing too. But would not this also bring about the true starters of war, what if Hamas does want a peaceful end and Israel does not, what would the reaction of the world be then?
This whole time it has been Muslims who have been you know blamed for the terrorist attacks and teh wanting of war and control of the world. Well I say this is a perfect oppurtunity to see if they really do want war or peace!!!
This election was democratic and free.
If the Palestinians trust Hamas politicians well, that' a fact.
If these newcomers will be able to give up their terrorist or simil-terrorist activities and become good politicians in their parliament embracing democratic means, well that's all to be proved.
I agree that now it is Hamas directly who will be responsible for contactiong or NON contacting Israel goverment. And this will prbaby prevent them to pursue a terroristic strategy in the open at least.
It will be quite interesting to see how things develop in this area.
One thing is sure, not many Israelis will be happy to deal with the ones that till a few days before used to endorse suicide bombing as a mean to create havoc at their next door's fellow.
A History lesson.
Mahatma Gandhi rightly gained India independence (about 1945), but it required the splitting of two ethnis groups, Muslim and Hindi, to form separate states to avoid clashing and aiming for peace. The kasmir region follows the same ethnic problem as Isreal/Palestine.
The Republic of Ireland (My home) was set up in 1921, splitting the island of Ireland between the republic of Ireland (state) and northern Ireland (part of United Kingdom). There are still conflicts todate over Northern Ireland.
Peace is only a resignation away.
Isn't Hamas a terrorist organization? I believe that's what I heard the gov't refer to them as, and it's not our policy to negotiate with terrorists.
*Sighs*
When will the maddness end?
Hamas members don't like contact with pigs, so I think it would be funny to feed them to pigs like in the movie Hannibal.
All these postings have certainly provided food for thought for an event which on the surface would seem to add to the instability of the Middle East, especially given the caretaker nature of the current Israeli government with the persisting major illness of Mr Sharon.
I agree that free and democratic elections should be heralded as steps in the right direction and I certainly hope that the peoples will mould thier polticians into peacemakers rather than applicaton of power working in the opposite direction. Sadly history sggests otherwise, if we look to our recent past to Germany in the late 1930's. Zeal driven by an unyielding ideology is a powerful motivator.
| hkucu wrote: |
| Hamas members don't like contact with pigs, so I think it would be funny to feed them to pigs like in the movie Hannibal. |
If that is a reference to the United States, you are mistaken.The west wants democraticaly elected governments around the world, well this is one! Now the west should talk to them.
Stop messing about and get on with it!
i agree. the west should just accept the fact that hamas controls the palestinian government and that the ball is now on their court. They got what they asked for: a democratically elected government. Except, when they were wishing for a democratically elected government, they failed to specify why which democratically elected government they wanted!!
they should stop being hypocrites and go to the negotiating table. if they just out right refuse to deal with hamas, then do they really want peace? But then on the other side, hamas need to reduce its militancy and look more like a respectable political entity. For one thing they need to understand that Israel is here to stay and it can't be wiped off the map (as much as Iran would like it to be). So they need to change their tone towards Israel and work on a lasting peace. I hope this change leads to peace in that place. because honestly i am sick and tired of hearing about. ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!
Well it sure makes a dilema for the United States. They want democracy unless the people who are elected oppose them, when all of a sudden they are a lot less happy about it. Personally I feel that the Palestinian people can elect who-ever they feel like, and the rest of the world has to live who-ever they choose. I feel the same about every country.
If Israel, and the US didn't want Hamas to win then they should have been more supportive of Fatah, instead of painting all Palestinians as terrorists.
Just goes to show that the people agree with Hamas.
And the people agree with Hamas policy as it stands. To change their policy to garner political gain will be suicide as much as not changing.
The palastinians want their land back. And this will not be over till the jews kill all the arabs in the reagion or give the arabs back the land they stole to form the nation of Isreal.
The Arabs are the ones being illegally occupied. Let's remember that first. The jews have no right to be there in a sane world. But for some reason people think that it is Jewish land which it is not and never has been.
Possession is not 9/10 of the law when you stole what you possess and murdered the populations that were there to leave no heirs behind to legally thwart your claims.
| nopaniers wrote: |
Well it sure makes a dilema for the United States. They want democracy unless the people who are elected oppose them, when all of a sudden they are a lot less happy about it. Personally I feel that the Palestinian people can elect who-ever they feel like, and the rest of the world has to live who-ever they choose. I feel the same about every country.
If Israel, and the US didn't want Hamas to win then they should have been more supportive of Fatah, instead of painting all Palestinians as terrorists. |
I do think that was the real kicker.
We want democracy in the middle east at all costs.
Well, damn it. That's not the democracy we wanted.
What they really wanted was another Isreal friendly government in the middle east. Not a democracy. | odinstag wrote: |
The palastinians want their land back. And this will not be over till the jews kill all the arabs in the reagion or give the arabs back the land they stole to form the nation of Isreal.
The Arabs are the ones being illegally occupied. Let's remember that first. The jews have no right to be there in a sane world. But for some reason people think that it is Jewish land which it is not and never has been.
. |
Sometimes i think the whole place should just be nuked so we can start afresh. But since that most likely won't happen, we have to find other means of dealing with the situation.
Like i said, the Palestinians need to realise that israel isn't going anywhere. Israel also needs to fully understand that the Palestnians need and deserve full autonomy. And they both need to understand that compromise is the only way to a lasting peace. Nobody should expect to get everything they want.
For goodness-sakes, how long do these guys plan on fighting for? | lyndonray wrote: |
For goodness-sakes, how long do these guys plan on fighting for? |
Forever, or until one side is wiped out. The fact is, Islam and Zionism are ideologically incompatible, and as long as both sides exist, there will always be fighting. Anybody who says otherwise is just plain wrong. There will never be peace in that area until either Israel is wiped out, or there are no more Muslims on the face of the earth.
It's not that I condone fighting or killing, I'm just stating the truth as I see it.Now they have won the election...they will have to stop bombing Israel...and also lay down their weapons if they are to still receive financial aids from the other countries.....especially Israel....... 
