Though official results are not yet in, Hamas has won a majority in almost every one of the 16 districts in the PA-controlled areas, including Jerusalem. At least 70, and possibly as many as 75, seats of the 132-seat legislature will go to Hamas. Fatah Prime Minister Abu Alla has resigned, and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is considering doing the same.
According to PA law, Chairman Abbas (Abu Mazen) must turn to the largest party and ask it to form the next government.
Hamas leader Mahmoud A-Zahar said, "The armed struggle will continue, and it will cause Israel to make great concessions, and will change the way Egypt and Jordan relate to Israel as well."
Iran released a statement of congratulations for the Hamas victory, saying that the path of "continued resistance of Israeli conquest" had won.
MK Ehud Yatom (Likud) said, "The Palestinian people decided that terrorism is the tool and the way to implement its strategy for us not to be here in this region. Our government also made its decisive contribution to this development by allowing PA elections [in this format]."
"Hamas might want to negotiate with us," Yatom said, "but we are not allowed to speak with any organization that is dedicated to our destruction."
Asked if in his estimation, the left-wing might want to negotiate with Hamas despite its goal of destroying Israel, Yatom said, "The only thing that interests them [those on the left] is to return to the 1967 borders."
Other reactions:
Former Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said, "Israel made a very grave mistake when it allowed Hamas to participate in these elections... The international community will now find every justification to have dialogue with Hamas, claiming that they won democratic elections, even though we invested such great efforts to have the world include Hamas on its outlawed list of terror organizations."
A Likud Party statement:
"The Hamas victory is a direct result of the Disengagement, and the realization of the Palestinians that the use of terror and violence is the way to achieve diplomatic gains from Israel. The plans of Kadima and Labor for another widespread withdrawal, for nothing in return, shows us their total blindness in viewing the security reality."
MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union):
"The Kadima government led Hamas to victory on the silver platter of the Disengagement."
MK Effie Eitam (National Union):
"[Hamas chief] Mahmoud A-Zahar should send a large bouquet of roses this morning to Ehud Olmert and his government, who preferred to surrender in the war against terrorism, and instead of dealing with eliminating the Hamas leaders, chose to expel Jews from their homes. They thus proved to every PA voter that the way of Hamas and terrorism is the way to victory over Israel."
Former IDF Central District Commander Maj.-Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan, head of a small new anti-corruption political party, said, "This shows we have no one to rely on except ourselves. We must complete the partition as quickly as possible and withdraw from Judea and Samaria."
Shimon Peres: "Hamas won; so what? How will Hamas run the Palestinian Authority and pay salaries after the world community cuts off international aid?"
MK Sha'ul Yahalom (NRP):
"The Hamas victory proves the terrible diplomatic mistake of the Kadima path, as well as the catastrophe that will fall upon the State of Israel if Kadima forms its next government."
A Voice of Israel reporter said that left-wing reactions took a long time in coming, but then presented Meretz MK Ran Cohen's response:
"This is a very grave situation for both Israel and for the Palestinian Authority. It's very sad that the Palestinians chose the terrorist organization Hamas, which provides no hope, and they will feel it. It is also very sad that we ourselves, in everything we did, including the Disengagement, encouraged Hamas more than Fatah."
Yisrael Beiteinu Party Chairman Avgidor Lieberman:
"It doesn't matter who won; the free world has lost. Hamas and Fatah are both movements that represent radical Islam. Just as in Egypt, where the Islamic Brotherhood is strengthening, and in Iran, where the extremist president was elected, the victory of radical Islam here is not only Israel's problem, but is a threat to the entire free western world. We saw this in the attacks in Madrid and London, and in the riots in Paris and Belgium. Our internal strife and unilateral concessions merely strengthen this trend."
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union):
"We see no difference between the murderers of Fatah and those of Hamas. All those naive people who talk about a 'partner for peace' now realize who we're dealing with, and all those who propose further unilateral withdrawals are merely bringing the Kassams closer, to inside Jerusalem."
The Yesha Council:
"The public relations team for the Disengagement and for Kadima can chalk up this achievement of Hamas' victory to its credit. In the next election, Israel will strengthen Islamic Jihad by making more concessions, and in the election after that, it's doubtful whether Israel will still be around."
According to PA law, Chairman Abbas (Abu Mazen) must turn to the largest party and ask it to form the next government.
Hamas leader Mahmoud A-Zahar said, "The armed struggle will continue, and it will cause Israel to make great concessions, and will change the way Egypt and Jordan relate to Israel as well."
Iran released a statement of congratulations for the Hamas victory, saying that the path of "continued resistance of Israeli conquest" had won.
MK Ehud Yatom (Likud) said, "The Palestinian people decided that terrorism is the tool and the way to implement its strategy for us not to be here in this region. Our government also made its decisive contribution to this development by allowing PA elections [in this format]."
"Hamas might want to negotiate with us," Yatom said, "but we are not allowed to speak with any organization that is dedicated to our destruction."
Asked if in his estimation, the left-wing might want to negotiate with Hamas despite its goal of destroying Israel, Yatom said, "The only thing that interests them [those on the left] is to return to the 1967 borders."
Other reactions:
Former Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said, "Israel made a very grave mistake when it allowed Hamas to participate in these elections... The international community will now find every justification to have dialogue with Hamas, claiming that they won democratic elections, even though we invested such great efforts to have the world include Hamas on its outlawed list of terror organizations."
A Likud Party statement:
"The Hamas victory is a direct result of the Disengagement, and the realization of the Palestinians that the use of terror and violence is the way to achieve diplomatic gains from Israel. The plans of Kadima and Labor for another widespread withdrawal, for nothing in return, shows us their total blindness in viewing the security reality."
MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union):
"The Kadima government led Hamas to victory on the silver platter of the Disengagement."
MK Effie Eitam (National Union):
"[Hamas chief] Mahmoud A-Zahar should send a large bouquet of roses this morning to Ehud Olmert and his government, who preferred to surrender in the war against terrorism, and instead of dealing with eliminating the Hamas leaders, chose to expel Jews from their homes. They thus proved to every PA voter that the way of Hamas and terrorism is the way to victory over Israel."
Former IDF Central District Commander Maj.-Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan, head of a small new anti-corruption political party, said, "This shows we have no one to rely on except ourselves. We must complete the partition as quickly as possible and withdraw from Judea and Samaria."
Shimon Peres: "Hamas won; so what? How will Hamas run the Palestinian Authority and pay salaries after the world community cuts off international aid?"
MK Sha'ul Yahalom (NRP):
"The Hamas victory proves the terrible diplomatic mistake of the Kadima path, as well as the catastrophe that will fall upon the State of Israel if Kadima forms its next government."
A Voice of Israel reporter said that left-wing reactions took a long time in coming, but then presented Meretz MK Ran Cohen's response:
"This is a very grave situation for both Israel and for the Palestinian Authority. It's very sad that the Palestinians chose the terrorist organization Hamas, which provides no hope, and they will feel it. It is also very sad that we ourselves, in everything we did, including the Disengagement, encouraged Hamas more than Fatah."
Yisrael Beiteinu Party Chairman Avgidor Lieberman:
"It doesn't matter who won; the free world has lost. Hamas and Fatah are both movements that represent radical Islam. Just as in Egypt, where the Islamic Brotherhood is strengthening, and in Iran, where the extremist president was elected, the victory of radical Islam here is not only Israel's problem, but is a threat to the entire free western world. We saw this in the attacks in Madrid and London, and in the riots in Paris and Belgium. Our internal strife and unilateral concessions merely strengthen this trend."
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union):
"We see no difference between the murderers of Fatah and those of Hamas. All those naive people who talk about a 'partner for peace' now realize who we're dealing with, and all those who propose further unilateral withdrawals are merely bringing the Kassams closer, to inside Jerusalem."
The Yesha Council:
"The public relations team for the Disengagement and for Kadima can chalk up this achievement of Hamas' victory to its credit. In the next election, Israel will strengthen Islamic Jihad by making more concessions, and in the election after that, it's doubtful whether Israel will still be around."