THE IMPLICATIONS OF HAMAS' CIVIL WAR VICTORY

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF HAMAS' CONTROL OF GAZA AND THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY?

1. THE WHOLE JUSTIFICATION FOR RESUMING AID TO THE PALESTINIANS (A JOINT GOVERNMENT OF FATAH AND HAMAS) HAS BEEN REMOVED.

2. HAMAS CONTROLS GAZA AND FOR NOW FATAH CONTROLS THE WEST BANK. THERE WILL BE NO UNIFIED PALESTINIAN STATE.

3. ISRAEL HAS NO ONE WITH WHOM TO MAKE PEACE. HAMAS WILL NOT MAKE PEACE WITH ISRAEL AND IS BENT ON DESTROYING IT. FATAH IS TOO WEAK TO DELIVER PEACE.

4. HAMAS' PATRON, IRAN, NOW HAS A FOOTHOLD ON ISRAEL'S BORDER.

5. IF FATAH CAN'T TRUST HAMAS' PROMISES OF A PEACEFUL COALITION, WHY SHOULD ISRAEL TRUST ANYTHING HAMAS SAYS?

Hamas Orders Rivals to Surrender as Gaza Falls Under Its Control - Paul Martin and Sonia Verma
Hamas' most spectacular attack was the detonation of a one-ton tunnel bomb under a Fatah security headquarters in Khan Yunis. The ambush, which was apparently weeks in the planning, killed at least six and appeared to give Hamas control of the strategic southern town. In the border town of Rafah, Hamas fighters hoisted Hamas flags over the smoldering wreckage of the border security post as reports emerged of Fatah forces fleeing across the border into Egypt. In Gaza City, hundreds of Fatah loyalists from the influential Bakr clan surrendered to Hamas militants who had laid siege to their compound.

On Wednesday about 1,000 Palestinians protesting against the violence marched through Gaza City, drawing gunfire that killed two of the demonstrators and wounded four others. The prospect of Hamas taking control of Gaza has terrified its secular residents, who fear that Islamist rule will be imposed. (Times-UK)

Hamas Takeover in Gaza Would Short-Circuit U.S. Plans - Adam Entous
A Hamas takeover of Gaza would deal a blow to a U.S. peace push founded on the premise that Mahmoud Abbas would be capable of reining in militants and Israel would embrace him as a partner. Some Israeli and Western officials saw the Hamas-led assault as a pre-emptive strike against U.S. plans to bolster Abbas' forces for a planned crackdown on cross-border rocket attacks into Israel and smuggling of weaponry to militant groups. Washington has long held that negotiations will go nowhere if Israel cannot be assured that Abbas can curb cross-border militant attacks, and the U.S. had just launched a nearly $60 million program to bolster Abbas' Presidential Guard. (Reuters)