Palestinian Election Reaction: Day II

Via NYT: After Crushing Defeat by Hamas, Fatah Militants Protest in Gaza

Just a few things I found of interest.

Apparently, the younger members of Fatah are taking the news of the election loss really well.

Several hundred protesters from Mr. Abbas's own Fatah party marched in the street outside his home in Gaza City. Gunmen fired automatic rifles into the air and the crowd chanted, "Go away Abu Mazen, go away Abu Mazen," referring to Mr. Abbas as he is commonly known.

You know, if only I had been in Boston in November of 2004...

And, and update on zebras changing their stripes:

"Why are we going to recognize Israel?" Dr. Zahar said. "Is Israel going to recognize the right of return of Palestinian refugees? Is Israel going to recognize Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital?"

...

"If Israel has anything to bring to the Palestinian people, we will consider this," he said. "But we are not going to give anything for free."

And I seriously doubt your average Palestinian worker had this in mind when they voted for change:

In Wednesday's election, 31 Palestinian candidates were in prisons, according to the Central Elections Commission. Fifteen of them accounting for more than 10 percent of the new parliament won seats, the Jerusalem Post reported Friday. Israel has said that the election will not bring any change in their status or any reduction in their sentences.

In addition, other election winners are wanted by Israel for suspected involvement in violence. Most are in semi-seclusion, and fear arrest if they try to travel to Ramallah, the site of the Palestinian parliament in the West Bank.

The Palestinians also have a parliament building in Gaza City, but since Israeli troops left Gaza last summer, Palestinians in Gaza face no restrictions when moving inside the territory.

In the past few years, the Palestinian parliament has held numerous sessions with a video conference connecting West Bank lawmakers in Ramallah and the Gaza legislators in Gaza City.

The new Palestinian cabinet could face a similar problem. Most senior Hamas leaders are in Gaza, though the cabinet is sure to have ministers from the West Bank as well.

Israel has generally allowed Palestinian cabinet ministers to travel between Gaza and the West Bank. But Israel appears unlikely to do the same with government ministers from Hamas.

A Parliment that can't meet because they can't get to one place because Israel won't let them travel and, well, they're in prison. That's smart thinkin' there, guys.

And this government is supposed to function better than the Fatah one?