HAMAS IN POWER

Well, it took me a few days to digest the fact that Hamas is now the official and democratically chosen representative of the guys next door. I, like most people, believed that Hamas would win a good many seats, but not the majority.

It is hard to fathom Israel engaging in peace talks with a government that doesn't even recognize its (Israel) existence; Hamas will be forever tainted by suicide bombings and the like for most Israelis. In fact, for me too.

Not that Fatah is so much better. Really. The rampant corruption under the current Palestinian Authority was definitely a huge factor in the outcome of the elections. Hamas was smart enough to pursue the exact opposite image among its own people through the creation of an extensive and very efficient social programs network to assist the impoverished population.

Simply put, Palestinians chose to vote for the people who they think will take better care of them - Hamas. Hamas will feed them, Hamas will clothe them, Hamas will educate them, Hamas will give them medicines and so forth. The peace process surely comes second when compared to the harsh reality of Palestinian daily life.

But this is also the same Hamas whose charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state and the creation of a Muslim theocracy in Palestine and the lands now belonging to Israel, cites the Protocols of the Elders of Zion as evidence of Jewish evil, and has the following to say about women:

"She has to be of sufficient knowledge and understanding where the performance of housekeeping matters are concerned, because economy and avoidance of waste of the family budget, is one of the requirements for the ability to continue moving forward in the difficult conditions surrounding us. She should put before her eyes the fact that the money available to her is just like blood which should never flow except through the veins so that both children and grown-ups could continue to live."

One cannot deny that Israel is partly accountable for Hamas victory. Without exploring what/who came first, it is no wonder that the major theme in this election was the basic need for survival; after all, Palestinians have been oppressed one way or another for many decades. For the sake of fairness, one must never forget one of the absolute truths of the world - cause and consequence. For better and for worse.

I am dumbfounded and very concerned about the results of this election. I have serious doubts as to whether Hamas leadership will be able to congeal itself into one homogeneous block aiming for peace. For instance: how will the Ezzedeen-al-qassam, the armed faction of the Hamas, fit into this new scheme of things? Are they going to be upgraded from suicide bombing planners to army in command?

Think about it - from now on, any terrorist attack on Israeli lives would most likely result in full blown war. A very delicate situation in a very complex corner of the world.

Also, a very dear corner of the world for me and for many more people. Let us all hope and pray for peace, patience and fairness.