The Hamas terrorist group has published ads in Palestinian Authority newspapers this week calling on supporters to vote in upcoming PA elections. The strength of their campaign is apparently their success at killing Israelis.
Hamas leader Mahmoud A-Zahar told the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper that Hamas is fielding or backing candidates for legislative and presidential elections. This represents a shift in Hamas tactics, as the group refused to participate in previous PA elections, claiming participation was equivalent to support for accords with Israel.
Al-Jazeera satellite television reported on its website that "opinion polls show 30% of Palestinians would vote for the resistance organisation [Hamas] – largely because it is seen as fighting Israeli occupation." The station also quoted a PA academic as saying that Hamas is "the most popular party in Palestine today."
The professor went on to tell Al-Jazeera.net, "Hamas has been vindicated by the failure of the peace process with Israel, which it condemned from the start. And it has lived up to its pledges and commitments to the Palestinian people."
On the other hand, according to the analyst quoted by the satellite station, "[Hamas has] accepted the international community will not allow them to take power. If they do so they would be treated as a pariah and that would not be in the Palestinian national interest."
Hamas leader Mahmoud A-Zahar told the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper that Hamas is fielding or backing candidates for legislative and presidential elections. This represents a shift in Hamas tactics, as the group refused to participate in previous PA elections, claiming participation was equivalent to support for accords with Israel.
Al-Jazeera satellite television reported on its website that "opinion polls show 30% of Palestinians would vote for the resistance organisation [Hamas] – largely because it is seen as fighting Israeli occupation." The station also quoted a PA academic as saying that Hamas is "the most popular party in Palestine today."
The professor went on to tell Al-Jazeera.net, "Hamas has been vindicated by the failure of the peace process with Israel, which it condemned from the start. And it has lived up to its pledges and commitments to the Palestinian people."
On the other hand, according to the analyst quoted by the satellite station, "[Hamas has] accepted the international community will not allow them to take power. If they do so they would be treated as a pariah and that would not be in the Palestinian national interest."