Anyone expecting that Hamas’ overwhelming victory in Palestinian legislative elections would transform the terrorist organization into a moderate political force was in for an unpleasant surprise over the weekend.

In a document released to the press outlining the incoming Hamas government’s guiding principles, the organization made clear that it has not budged one inch from its determination to continue killing innocent Jews.

“Resistance in all its forms is a legitimate right of the Palestinian people in its path to put an end to the occupation and the reinstatement of its national rights,” states the document, which also insists that the so-called Palestinian “right of return” is something that “can’t be given up”.

In other words, Hamas plans to use the levers of government that will be at its disposal in order to continue carrying out terrorist attacks against the Jewish state. The Palestinian Authority, and all its “security” branches, will now be guided by the explicit policy of “resistance in all its forms”, which is Hamas-talk for suicide bombings, shootings and other types of attacks.

If this does not constitute a formal declaration of war by the Palestinian Authority against Israel, it is hard to imagine what would.