Hamas s promise to the Palestinians, however, is a delusion.

In some ways, Hamas s coup makes things clearer.

Although Hamas is boycotting the election, many Hamas sympathizers will vote for the candidate most committed to defending the Palestinians core demands.

Whereas Fatah favors a clear majority voting system, Hamas calls for a more personalized approach.

Hamas is a far more convenient partner for such a settlement than the PLO.

More generally, Egypt is concerned that Gaza is becoming politically radicalized and may be transformed into Hamastan.

But the fear that is most consuming Abbas and Fatah is that the conflict with Hamas might spread to the West Bank.

With more than 600 Palestinians killed in Gaza since Hamas s violent putsch, making peace among the Palestinians may be as difficult as making peace between them and Israel.

The Hamas Earthquake

The Hamas Moment

Whether Hamas can actually be transformed into a more moderate organization is impossible to say right now. But it is clear that Hamas is now vulnerable to public opinion and, as a governing authority, will have to deal with the international response to its victory.

Whether Hamas can actually be transformed into a more moderate organization is impossible to say right now.

Not much more was required to dampen foreign investors enthusiasm for the India story, with the rupee falling significantly in recent weeks.

But the effect of any deal made by Hamas will not be new and radical for Hamas.

Did Hamas Win?

Hamas Rising

Hamas in Power

Hamas s Real Enemies

Hamas Takes on the Radicals

Hamas won.

The Hamas Veto

What Hamas Wants

Israel s leaders believe that the day of reckoning with Hamas will come only when the conditions for a major military showdown are riper.

Hamas, Fatah, and the Palestinian Dilemma

Hamas s Ghost in Annapolis

Hamas s Zero Sum Game

Will Hamas Win the Peace?

Beyond Gaza, the rise of political Islam in the Arab Spring countries, particularly Egypt and Tunisia, has created a more Hamas friendly neighborhood.

With Hamas in control for more than two years, the Gaza Strip has long been considered much more traditional and conservative than the West Bank.

Hamas and Fatah at the Crossroads

Reconciling Hamas and Fatah

Hamas s political moment has come.

In fact, Hamas, too, is playing a double game.

What s the strike about?

Seven Hamas militants were killed.

It is not in anyone s political interest. Israel doesn t become safer, nor do Hamas or Fatah become more popular.

Unable to pay the salaries of more than 40,000 public employees in Gaza, it was being slowly strangled by the Israeli and Egyptian authorities. And the unity government that it established with the Palestinian Authority in June brought no relief.

In fact, Abbas does not even control the militias of his own party, Fatah, which have been even more active than Hamas in staging terrorist attacks against Israel.

More ominous were the statements and challenges to the Palestinian Authority emanating from Hamas prior to the confrontation between the militant group and the Palestinian Authority on 14 and 15 July.

But Hamas is not alone in Gaza.

Hamas has, in the past, cooperated with some of the Salafis, assuming they would stand behind Hamas s leadership.

After all, it is not Hamas as a party that is objectionable what is objectionable are the politics and policies which Hamas pursues.

As to the reason for the failure of the Cairo talks, Israel accuses Hamas of terrorism while Hamas accused Israel of failing to uphold its own promised commitments.

That is why the question of violence is more pressing than that of immediate recognition of the state of Israel, something that Hamas has already done in practice.

Can Hamas Stay in Power?