Hamas: Victory with Ballots and Bullets

Abstract

Since the electoral win of the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas's ‘Change and Reform’ candidates in legislative elections in January 2006 and the subsequent formation of a Hamas government in April 2006 the dynamics of democratic politics on the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been severely undermined and challenged. By June 2007 Hamas had complete control of the Gaza Strip and President Abbas had formed a separate ‘emergency government’ located on the West Bank. This paper examines the prospects for democracy in the Palestinian Authority territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and to what extent political factions are subverting institutions and frameworks for democratic rule in order to create outcomes where they extend a monopoly of power. The paper questions the extent to which the lexicon of Hamas's ‘Islamism’ has manifested itself as Islamic governance since the organization obtained power through the ballot box in 2006. The paper ends with a discussion of some of the challenges facing Hamas and Fatah and the new political arrangements for governance, given the dynamics and debate outlined.