Newsgroup: it.politica.internazionale
Titolo: Hamas vince le elezioni a Gaza

http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-01-28-voa18.cfm
Hamas Wins Local Palestinian Elections in Gaza
By  Sonja Pace
Jerusalem
28 January 2005
Initial results show the militant group Hamas has won an overwhelming
victory in Palestinian local elections held Thursday in the Gaza Strip,
winning nearly two-thirds of the local council seats in 10 districts. The
results reflect the widespread support Hamas has in Gaza, and are also seen
as a potential turning point for the Islamic group.
Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called it a victory for the Palestinian
people. Thousands of supporters took to the streets in Gaza on Friday,
waving green Hamas flags, and hailing the election outcome.
Palestinian woman, supporter of Hamas, casts her ballot at a polling station
in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip
Hamas was expected to do well, since it has broad popular support in Gaza.
But Palestinian political pollster Professor Nader Sa'id of Birzeit
University says the outcome also reflects a strong protest vote against the
mainstream Fatah faction of President Mahmoud Abbas.
"At the same time, it's a protest against the political situation, where
nothing on the ground is actually changing," he said. "All of that with the
economic situation, where you have about 80 percent poverty rate - so you
are expecting that people will vote against the status quo."
Many Palestinians see in Hamas an alternative to the often
corruption-riddled political establishment. While Israel and the United
States have labeled it a terrorist organization, many Palestinians also rely
on Hamas for its welfare programs, schools and clinics.
Until recently, the radical Islamic group refused to take part in the
political process. But Professor Sa'id says that has now changed.
"Hamas has accepted to be part of the political system - to play within the
rules of the game," he said.
Professor Sa'id says the move is significant, since Hamas can no longer play
the role of outsider, and will, instead, have to answer to an electorate.
That, he says, could make the group more politically moderate.
But, he warns, Hamas will no doubt flex its muscle, in particular in pushing
a more conservative social agenda.
"It will be a very tough battle from now on, in terms of legislation, in
terms of getting a more progressive agenda on the ground," he said.
President Abbas has been wooing Hamas and other armed groups away from
violence and into the political fold, and has gotten their tacit agreement
to halt attacks against Israelis. Israel, in turn, announced Friday its
military would scale back operations in the West Bank and halt activities in
Gaza, where Palestinian security forces are now deployed.
The next real test of strength for Hamas will come in broader local
elections scheduled in 100 communities in the West Bank and Gaza in April,
and then in the parliamentary elections to be held in July

 28 January 2005
#_Ovvio, questo...Mai la vittoria di un cavallo sarebbe stata piu`sicura, 
dato che Hamas rappresenta in quel caos l'unica forma di struttura sociale e 
sulla quale i palestinesi ripongono la loro completa fiducia. Pare che ci si 
dimentica spesso la vera natura di questa organizzazione.
Credo comunque che sia piu`problematico un accordo con essa che con chiunque 
altro, ma Hamas e`inevitabile.
Giano