Hamas Victory is a Middle East Earthquake

In a major upset that will have far-reaching consequences for the future of the Middle East, the militant Islamist Hamas movement appears to have won a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament in Wednesday's election. Based on its own exit polls, Hamas claimed it won at least 70 seats in the 132-member house. Analysts predicted the group, which the EU and U.S. consider a terrorist organization, may take up to 80 seats. Though the electoral commission has yet to release final results, Fatah, the former ruling party founded by the late Yasser Arafat, conceded defeat today. Fatah Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei visited President Mahmoud Abbas to hand in his resignation. Abbas, the leader of Fatah, was popularly elected in a separate, presidential election last year, and his position is not affected by Wednesday's vote although the legislature is now controlled by his opponents.

Hamas officials, who appear to have benefited from the widespread perception of corruption within Fatah, say they will work with their defeated rivals to rebuild Palestinian society. Fatah officials initially rejected the idea of a coalition, but say they will now decide in the next day or so if they will work with the new majority.

The Hamas win raises many questions. Will the new ruling party recognize Israel, a country it has long worked to destroy? Will it negotiate a peace settlement with Israel? Will its armed wing and its newly elected members of parliament work together or is a split likely? How will Israel handle the political success of a terrorist group? For now, says Abdul Sattar Kasim, a political analyst from Nablus University "Hamas will concentrate on domestic issues such as security and corruption. Hamas wants to work to its own timetable."