Word: abu
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None of which alters the fact that Hamas, as a party, remains committed to Israel's destruction. But in localities like al-Bireh, Hamas officials are focusing on winning hearts and minds by doing the small stuff. "One hand is resisting, the other is building," says Abu Tir, whose full beard is stained orange with henna in the style thought to be favored by the Prophet Muhammad. "This is what the Koran tells us, and this is the principle we will adhere...
...parliament, trouncing the ruling Fatah party, which had dominated Palestinian politics for more than four decades. Fatah Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, who had warned against holding the elections, handed in his resignation as soon as the landslide became apparent. Although Fatah's moderate leader Mahmoud Abbas (popularly known as Abu Mazen) will stay on for now as President, he must find a way to work with a legislature controlled by a party whose commitment to Israel's destruction is a cornerstone of its charter. But before that, the Palestinian people--and observers all over the world--have to readjust...
...Fatah delicate issues like dealing with Israel. But the defeated Fatah concluded that it would rather be the opposition than a junior partner in a unity government--a decision that leaves Hamas to go it alone. "Hamas always expected to be part of a coalition," says political scientist Abu Amr. "But they're on their own, and that makes the hurdles they face even greater...
...leader Khaled Mashaal told reporters in Damascus last Saturday. But there may be some wiggle room. A few Hamas officials hinted before the election that the party could negotiate with Israel under the right circumstances. "We are not against the Jews. We are against occupation and oppression," Sheik Mohammed Abu Tir, an influential Hamas official, told TIME a week before the vote. The Hamas military commander who spoke with TIME also suggests that the party may be willing to bow to reality: "There are facts on the ground that we cannot close our eyes to. We are not going...
...Hamas wants to be in a position to govern, it is going to have to depend on the outside world," says former U.S. Middle East negotiator Dennis Ross. "They're going to try to fuzz the issue and say, 'We'll just deal with internal needs and let Abu Mazen and others deal with Israel and the international bodies,'" says Ross. "But Hamas is going to have to make some choices. They're going to be faced with some dilemmas, and I don't think anybody should make it easier for them...