Thugocracy

From FoxNews: Major Decisions Await Palestinian Leadership After Surprise Hamas Victory.

“The elections results amount to a de facto declaration of war by the Palestinian people against the state of Israel. It’s imperative our nation redouble its commitment to the state of Israel and cautiously evaluate any future assistance to a Palestinian regime governed by terrorists,” said Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C.

"Hamas is a terrorist organization, which means they believe it is their right to murder women, children and innocent civilians to achieve their goals. It is unrealistic, unwise and even immoral to ask Israel to sit down with a government that contains people who have such beliefs," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

Hamas' charter calls for the destruction of Israel, and leaders said they had no plans to change it. But the group risks economic devastation resulting

From AP: Carter Says Palestinian Elections Fair (via Little Green Footballs).

Former President Carter said Thursday the Palestinian elections were "completely honest, completely fair, completely safe and without violence."

Carter, who led an international observer team from the National Democratic Institute, also said he hoped that the Hamas Islamic group would act responsibly now that it appears to have been elected to power in Palestinian elections.

"My hope is that as Hamas assumes a major role in the next government, whatever that might be, it will take a position on international standards of responsibility," he told a news conference in Jerusalem.

And as we noted yesterday: The terrorist group Hamas vowed not to disarm or negotiate with the Jewish state if it enters the Palestinian parliament after the election.

UPDATE I: From The Jerusalem Post: Netanyahu warns of birth of Hamastan (via Tom Pechinski and Rantburg).

Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu told the Likud faction in the Knesset Thursday, "Before our very eyes, Hamastan has been established, the step-child of Iran and the Taliban. It's in firing range of our airport, our highways and cities. This has to be a day of soul searching because the writing was on the wall. The policy of giving land for free gave a prize to terror and a winning card for Hamas.

UPDATE II -- Jan. 28: From CNN: Hamas leader: 'Palestinian army' possible.

A leader of the militant group Hamas promised reforms and indicated the possibility of a Palestinian army in the wake of the historic elections that swept his party into power this week.

The comments by Khaled Mashaal, based in Damascus, Syria, come after Israeli and U.S. leaders indicated that little progress was possible unless Hamas denounces violence and disarms.

Mashaal said Hamas will not consider disarming, but would instead form an army to defend the Palestinian people

"If you do not like our militancy, we are ready to unify the Palestinian arms ... and create an army, just like any other country," Mashaal said.

UPDATE III -- Feb. 2: This is just sickening. From CNN: Jimmy Carter: Give Hamas a chance.

Hamas deserves to be recognized by the international community, and despite the group's militant history, there is a chance the soon-to-be Palestinian leaders could turn away from violence, former President Jimmy Carter said Wednesday.

Carter, who monitored last week's Palestinian elections in which Hamas handily toppled the ruling Fatah, added that the United States should not cut off aid to the Palestinian people, but rather funnel it through third parties like the U.N.

Posted by Forkum at January 26, 2006 04:48 PM