Does Israel have a Hamas of its own?

Ariel Sharon is no longer running against Benjamin Netanyahu and Amir
Peretz. At this point in the campaign, the prime minister is running
against Hamas.

In theory, this election was to have been all about the borders of the
territories, whether further withdrawals would take place in the West
Bank, and under what circumstances.

But the steamroller support for Hamas in a string of local Palestinian
elections in the territories has forced a new issue into the back of
the Israeli mind: Whom do we want serving as prime minister the day
Hamas takes over?


<snip>

Hamas' prescription for grass roots success is simple.

-- It attends to the social needs of a population long ignored by
the elected government.

-- Its officials are scrupulous about avoiding the practice and the
appearance of corruption.

-- Its hierarchy, top to bottom, is disciplined, reliable, and hard-working.

-- Its ideological message is stark, clear-cut.

As the Israeli campaign heads for high gear, the electorate of the
Jewish state could reasonably ask itself: Is there a party in Israel
that could make those claims? In terms of its relationship to its own
constituents, does Israel, in fact, have a Hamas?

http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasen/spages/662525.html

Both US parties fail dismally in certain of those categories, and even in those for which they have traditional strength and expertise. It took a lot of killing and bombing and assassination to wise up Hamas, Darwinian fashion. What would it take for Dems to tackle the grass roots opportunities left fallow and deserted on the ground along with real factual news in a bankrupt major media climate?

Survey shows Hamas would win 31 percent of vote, Abbas-led Fatah only 18 percent

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3190516,00.html

<snip>

"Hamas would win the upcoming Palestinian elections with 31.4 percent of the vote were they held today, according to a poll conducted by al-Najah University.

The survey also found the new breakaway Fatah faction led by jailed Tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti would win 26.8 percent of the vote, while the Fatah list headed by PA leader Mahmoud
Abbas would only reach third place, with 17.7 percent of the vote.

These figures, which represent a significant embarrassment for Fatah, are especially relevant at this time, ahead of the Palestinian High Court's pending decision on whether to allow Fatah to reopen its party lists so that it can unify them.

If Fatah's merger request is rejected, Fatah may lose the Palestinian elections, and the Palestinian parliament could be taken over by Hamas."