Your Palestinian Arab brothers have demonstrated this world how peaceful and wonderful they are.

They only become drunker and drunker with power. All fundamentalists. Of all stripes.

You got that one right Ray. There is no other alternative than a complete cut off of funds to Hamas until others outside of the old movements, perhaps like yourself, have an opportunity unite the center like Sharon united the center. Perhaps once the fence is completely built and a terror Hamas state exist behind it, moderate Arabs will be able to defeat Hamas. And then again, maybe they will not have the will or the desire to do so. Time will tell

Thank you Ray for a very informative article. I only hope and pray that we can soon have peace in the Land of Israel, and that Jews, Christians and Moslems can learn to live as brothers and sisters.

Hamas won and predicabably so because of the racial and class divisisions that operate all accross the Arab world. Fatah represents an elite and Hamas comes out of the populated lower classes that is in such distress. The current economic climate was only going to exacerbate existing tensions and simmering resentments. Too many people particuclarly in the west see Arabs as some homogeneous entity. What we all know in the middle east but is rarely remarked on openly and never reported about in the west is the rigid social hierarchies that exist and breed resentments in the deprived populations. It goes without saying that the poorer peoples are also less educated and like everywhere else in the world 'religious' personalities are seen to be above the foibles that the rest of us so routinely suffer from. Respectfully, Yossi Cohen

pointing out that Hamas are not the saviour of the Palestinian people as they are portrayed by some in Europe now.

The Palestinians, just like the Germans, made their "democratic" desicion! Now why should any Jew care, if their economy collapses, they health system collapases, and all what Fatach, Hamas etc, do is kill each other! In 1932, we should have let the Germans drop dead, ditto for the overwhelming majority, of primitive homicidal savages, that voted "democratically" for Hamas, until they stop bombing schoolbusses, Passover seders, teen "hang outs" (whatever little I think of the "Dolpanarium", they were mass murdered because they were JEWS! If Hamas feels that only one people can live between Jordan and the Med sea, and a majority of murderous savages "democratically vote" to support this idea, we better be sure, that until they find room for TWO groups, the ONE group that will survive is JEWS!

Ray, I feel with all Palestinians who share your beliefs as I share your views on Hammas. You must surely realise now that most Palestinians in the occupied territories prefer a fundaMental Islamic government and system. As an Israeli, I have always felt that most Palestinians want to eliminate Israel and the truth was finally told. The best short term outcome for Israel is to get out of all major Palestinian cities (unilaterally if needs be) and let the Palestinians decide what type of lives they wish to lead. This should not be Israel's problem any more. I believe that now, this conflict is becoming a Palestinian-Palestinian issue - as it should be. The world is providing secular Palestinians with leverage (through funding threats) to get their policies pushed through in this new emerging governing body. They need to stop sulking, stop hijacking govenment buildings, put down their guns, get involved in the new body and change its charter - that's how democratic constitutions work. On a lighter note Ray, Abba Eban was wrong about the Palestinians - Hammas did not miss an opportunity, the correct quote is "Secular Palestinians don't miss opportunities to miss opportunities". Its time to prove this unfortunate line wrong !!!!

And you know our crazy extremists are exactly the same: they use their faith to justify whatever they think and do So nothing you say going to change their mind - because they are just justifying their actions and thoughts based on their faith. Now heres good question: how both sides going to get rid of these people or change their habits? I sometimes wonder what the man upstairs thinks about all this

arafat gave his kofia to hamass several years befor death ....palastinians try this and that ....the main problem is occupation ..lastly [shreek alkhara ekhser wakhasroo ]israil is not a good shreek

The rise of Hamas is a tragedy for both the Jewish people and the Palestinian people. If Syria et al had let the Palestinians alone and stopped using Islamic Jihad & others as tools to destroy the peace process, I am convinced that things could have evolved in very different ways. As it is, I am very pessimistic.

Some people call it zionism...is it fait driven people without ?ny will to compromise. Are they living in the west bank? Occupied west bank?

The last book of The Chronicles of Narnia (The Last Battle).

There are still plenty of secular Zionists out there, and plenty of faith-drivien Jews who are anti-Zionist.

Didn't I tell you that the one obstacle to any agreement is radical Islam? I think it's a good thing the Palestinians choose Hamas. At school I was always taught that you should learn from your mistakes. That made a lot of sense to me so I deciced I might as well make huge mistakes so that at least I could learn something interesting. I suppose the same thing goes for the Palestinians. We Jews have learned that it is a mistake to ignore our occupation of the Palestinian people. As a result, we're trying to end it. We don't feel we are wrong to have attempted to settle Judea and Samaria because for a long time we didn't realise that the Palestinians have a legitimate claim to this land as well. I suppose something similar will take place with the Palestinian people. Nothing feeds secularism as much as a theocracy does. Once that source or absolute convictions dries up, things will change. I dont expect Palestinians to feel they were wrong to have attempted to replace Israel with Palestine because they too didn't realise at the time that Jews have a legitimate claim to this land. The 'victory' of Hamas is an event no less of importance for the survival of Israel than 9/11. On the 11th of September 2001 I realised we were no longer alone. No matter how long and hard the road would be, no matter how many would still die. At least with the immense potential of the US engaged in the struggle, victory -instead of survival- became a distinct possibility. However, despite of American support Israel is still loosing the media battle. And since the conflict with radical Islam is partly a propaganda war, this is battle must be won. The rise of Hamas has made winning it a lot easier. I don't think the rise of Hamas will lead to the end of the Palestinian national movement but it certainly will force many changes amongst your supporters. Eventually it will lead to the discredit of Islamism and a one-state solution and thus to victory for Israel and Palestine.

Wow the masses are not howling for you today they are applauding you , Good work, you must pick subjects like this more often ;-) (You know what I mean) Enjoy it till you piss them off with something that they do not understand ;-)

The Palestinians, have been on welfare, for generations, and most have never done a honest days job. Whether UNRA (fourth generation "refugees") welfare, the 30% on the PA payroll (no real work), and various militias, few have done an honest days work! (aside from those who worked for Jews). Perhaps, if Israel, and the world, finally has the guts for "welfare reform" and cut off the gravy, Hamas can give them "traditional religious Arab occupations" such as goat-hearding, camel riding, and stealing from, and killing each other!

Ray's right. The real nutty religious ones, who fly airplanes into the sides of ships, will only quit, when you kill them by the hundred thousands. It has to become utterly distasteful to fight, before the majority gets a clue, and stops fighting. If Humans didn't constantly repeat history, Soldiers wouldn't have to continually cull the flock. How many really have to die, before the idea that everyone is going to become a muslim, attitude, will be a thing of the past? Or will the Palestinians turn on themselves, and do the job, from within?

Dear Ray, An excellent but sad perspective on Hamas's election success. Thank you for sharing it with us and for having the courage to say the truth as you see it.