Hamas would win West Bank elections, say Israeli officials

Israeli military officials believe that most Palestinians do not support the Palestinian Authority, but instead support Hamas, which would win an overwhelming majority if elections were held in the West Bank, Felesteen newspaper reported on Sunday.

According to Alex Fishman, the military analyst of Yedioth Ahranoth, Israeli officials have been discussing the possibility of increasing the PA’s sovereignty in the occupied West Bank. “Both sides [Israel and the PA] are playing with each other,” claimed Fishman, “because the Palestinians are in a different place. They do not trust the PA and hate Israel and [the ongoing intifada] tends to turn to a battle of guns.” He said that the first stage was throwing stones and the second was stabbing and running over Israelis.

Israel has two choices, he believes: genuine political reconciliation with the Palestinians or a complete reoccupation of the West Bank.

He noted that Israeli officials are planning to propose to the PA an initiative to resume talks. It would, they think, offer Israel some respite and calm.

Domestically, Fishman reported Israeli officials saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might take measures to rule the Jewish Home Party out of the government.