NYTs: Democracy “Stuns” and “Shocks”; Will of the People Halts “Peace Process”

… The shocking outcome… put at least a temporary halt to efforts to restart peace talks. The balloting also made a mockery of the voter surveys released Wednesday night….

… The victory of Hamas represents an enormous test … for the Western nations who pressed for this election and who provide millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinians and for the Arab world, which is likely to be shaken by the victory of a militant Islamic party in the symbolic heart of the Muslim world.

…the results, [are] seen more as a repudiation of Fatah than a declaration of war against Israel

… Mr. Kuttab said that those who had preached democracy, from the Bush administration to the Israeli right, would have to decide if their values trumped their interests.

Steven Erlanger, “Hamas Routs Ruling Faction, Casting Pall of Peace Process,” New York Times, 1/27/06.

The Hamas landslide [democratic victory] in Palestinian elections has stunned Israelis, but it may also have brought them a rare moment of clarity: with peace talks off the table, Israel will most likely pursue unilateral actions,….

… talks with Hamas … were out of the question,…

… Israelis said there could be no negotiations with Hamas.

Ami Ayalon … said the absence of a [democratically elected] negotiating partner should not halt Israeli actions aimed at separating from the Palestinians.

... [The] relationship [between Israel and Hamas] is similar to the one that existed in the 1980's and earlier between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, with their refusal to recognize each other.

… Mr. Avineri suggested a Hamas-led government might not be as threatening as some Israelis feared. He cited the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, which battled Israeli troops for years in southern Lebanon and now takes part in Lebanese politics.

Greg Myre, “Israel’s Likely Course: Unilateral Action, Separation and No Talks With Hamas,” New York Times, 1/27/06. [emphasis added]