Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
> Take a look at the Palestinian elections this January. The
> Palestinian people could have voted for secular leftists (I'm speaking
> of "leftists" in a broad sense), but _most of them didn't_:
>
> Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine)
> 42,101 votes 4.25% of the vote 3 (3/0) seats
>
> The Alternative (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine +
> Palestinian People's Party + Palestine Democratic Union)
> 28,973 votes 2.92% of the vote 2 (2/0) seats
>
> Independent Palestine (Palestinian National Initiative)
> 26,909 votes 2.72% of the vote 2 (2/0) seats
>
> The Third Way (led by Salam Fayyad and Hanan Ashrawi)
> 23,862 votes 2.41% of the vote 2 (2/0) seats
>
> Etc.
>
> Compared to sad showings of secular leftists, Hamas's 44.45% showing
> is, well, massive.
>
> It's time for leftists in the West to recognize the non-existence of
> the powerful secular Left in the Middle East. I don't say we should
> be happy about it. Just quit being in denial about it.