The results suggested the risks inherent in the US's campaign to bring democracy to the Middle East. Administration spokesmen officially celebrated the "historic moment for the Palestinians", but privately reeled at the outcome. Administration officials had hoped Hamas would get as little as 20 per cent of the vote. The Washington Post reported that the US had spent $US2 million ($2.6 million) in recent weeks to promote the Palestinian Authority, and by extension Fatah, in a campaign that tried to keep US involvement hidden. Officials had been bracing for Hamas to receive 30 to 40 per cent of the vote; exit polls indicated it topped 40 per cent.
US officials, from President George Bush down, reiterated that the US would not deal with Hamas as long as it did not renounce violence. "A political party, in order to be viable, is one that professes peace, in my judgement, in order that it will keep the peace," Mr Bush told The Wall Street Journal. "And so you're getting a sense of how I'm going to deal with Hamas if they end up in positions of responsibility. And the answer is: 'Not until you renounce your desire to destroy Israel will we deal with you'."
Mr Bush's statement left open the possibility that the US would not reject a Palestinian government that included Hamas, but instead it would not work directly with cabinet ministers who had Hamas connections. There is a precedent for this approach: the Bush Administration already works with the Lebanese Government, even though one cabinet member is a member of Hezbollah, which is also labelled a terrorist group. Hamas has indicated it would like to obtain ministerial portfolios that touch on social services, raising questions about whether some of the hundreds of millions of dollars in annual US aid could continue to flow to certain public works projects if they are overseen by a Hamas cabinet member. With Israel facing elections in March, the US must deal carefully with the emerging government.
The European Commission said yesterday that it would work with any Palestinian government that used peaceful means. "It is clear that Hamas has really got a very large proportion of the vote," said the European Union's external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrerod. "What is important is that we state we are happy to work with any government if that government is prepared to work by peaceful means."
The EU is the biggest provider of aid to the Palestinian Authority. The Washington Post, Reuters
El miércoles (25) se realizaron elecciones parlamentarias en Palestina. Aunque los primeros escrutinios daban una ligera ventaja al partido oficialista Al Fatah, en la mañana del jueves los líderes del grupo islámico extremista Hamas anunciaron, luego de sumar los resultados de los conteos de sus propios votos, que habían obtenido una ''"mayoría rotunda"'' en el Consejo Legislativo Palestino, de 132 escaños.

Horas después de este anuncio, y con base en los resultados suministrados por representantes de Hamas en las urnas de votación, el Primer Ministro Ahmed Qurei, perteneciente a Al Fatah, renunció junto con su gabinete.

''"Eso fue lo que la gente decidió. Tengo que respetarlo. Cuando se confirme que Hamas obtuvo la mayoría de votos, entonces el presidente debe pedirle a Hamas que forme un nuevo gobierno. Personalmente, ya envié mi renuncia al presidente  Mahmud Abbas , para permitirle que escoja un nuevo primer ministro"'', dijo Qurei.

Los primeros datos oficiales, publicados la noche del jueves, otorgan 76 de los 132 escaños del Parlamento a Hamas, mientras que el partido Al Fatah se quedó con 43. Según la Comisión Electoral Central, que publicará los resultados completos en las próximas horas, la participación en los comicios fue del 77%.

Para que Hamas, obtuviera la mayoría necesitaba al menos 67 escaños. Ismail Haniyeh, uno de los principales líderes del movimiento extremista, afirmó el jueves que ''"Hamas ha ganado más de 70 escaños en Gaza y Cisjordania, lo que le da más del 50 por ciento del voto"''. El movimiento extremista participó en estas elecciones con el nombre de "Cambio y Reforma".

En las últimas horas, uno de los principales dirigentes de Al Fatah admitió la derrota en los comicios.

Mahmud Abbas, presidente de la Autoridad Nacional Palestina, no se sintió afectado por los resultados pero dijo que ''"podría renunciar de no poder buscar una política de paz"''.