The solution to this conflict lies in the ‘hearts and minds of its people’ and current trends have shown this to be true. In April 2005, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, an elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and Secretary General of MIFTAH, the Jerusalem-based Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue & Democracy predicted the impending "politicization" of Islamic groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad or the potential ‘Islamization’ of Palestinian politics. Hamas' recent victories this May in dozens of local elections elevated Hamas’ importance in the political scene as a legitimate alternative to Fateh, which has been described by Palestinians as ‘corrupt’ and ‘internally unstable’. The dilemma for the U.S. and Israel as well as the PNA is how to realign themselves given this development, where they must now relate with towns controlled by Hamas-backed mayors. It is telling that in both cases the choice was to determine a means by which to ‘work with’ or ‘incorporate’ Hamas into the political scene, reflecting acknowledgement by both parties that Hamas represents a public that must be converted for a viable peace. Hamas has nothing to gain by entering a national unity government now; it won the backing of the people in more than one third of the 120 communities in the municipal elections in May. Hamas has made a very tactically sound choice in refusing to join the proposed national unity government. Their current position is quite secure as a legitimate opposition party especially from outside the political fold of the PLO, where it can act as a counterweight and an Israeli watchdog. In fact, as much as it was necessary for Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President, to invite them into the political scene it was in the best interests of Palestinians, Palestine, and the Hamas, for Hamas to refuse the invitation. Currently, Fateh and the United States need to build credibility with the Palestinian people, hence, the delay by Abbas of PLC elections and one assumes the U.S. move to be ‘more severe’ on Israel in regard to settlement expansion and ‘are considering’ providing foreign aid to now Hamas-governed townships.

Arafat never agreed to systematically eradicate Hamas because that would have been equivalent to a war on his own people. Like it or not, Hamas have been consistent and persistent on behalf of the ‘common Palestinian’. It should be illustrative to all with whom the people chose to place their confidences in the elections in May. The problem is that these elections are not skewing public opinion, they are reflecting public opinion…" said Peter Singer of the Brookings Institution. "Unlike the Palestinian Authority, Hamas has a reputation for being honest," Chris Toensing of the Middle East Research and Information project said. "It provides social services [that] Palestinian leaders promise but don't deliver, so even Palestinians who don't want to live in an Islamic state will vote for Hamas."

A Palestinian Public Opinion Poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research conducted in the West Bank and Gaza this June shows eight major areas of public concern and a general lack of confidence of the public in a change in the situation. Conditions are considered to be the same or worse in the following areas: settlements, economic conditions, democracy and human rights, enforcement of law and order, fight against corruption, and internal relations among Palestinian factions. The only area in which progress is perceived to have been made is the release of prisoners by Israel. Yet opposite to public perception more prisoners have been arrested than released! The area in which the public is divided is related to occupation measures such as closures and checkpoints.

We are at what’s called a tipping point. Presently Abbas is making the rounds amongst the Arab nations, one assumes, to garner support for Fateh and to strengthen their position for elections this August. To avoid the Islamization of Palestinian politics, the PNA must reclaim the Palestinian people’s hearts and minds. Fateh must be resold to the Palestinian public and internal peace needs to be made between the old and new guard. ‘A house divided will not stand.’ The old guard need not fear the new guard; they are capable and prepared to assume greater responsibility and leadership and they should be allowed to. Israel needs to start acting like a neighbor not an occupier. And the U.S. needs to see that it does. This will only be accomplished by addressing the people’s main concerns, otherwise prepare for the Islamization of Palestine, so far Palestinians have been dispossessed and disappointed, such that they have thrown their support to Hamas, as a reflection of their frustrated resignation at their ‘leaders’ complete ‘lack of credibility’ and this group’s track record of charity and transparency. Decision time has arrived, go over the cliff to Islamization or negotiate a means by which to avoid it. This technocratic government needs to start working for its people, now, or accept the consequences.