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Hamas Takes Over Palestinian Parliament
 Hamas has taken over as the dominant party in the Palestinian parliament and swiftly rejected President Mahmoud Abbas' call to pursue his peacemaking efforts with Israel. The swearing-in of the parliament paves the way for Hamas to form a government that will be on a potential collision course with Mr Abbas and faces a boycott by major powers unless it renounces violence and its vow to destroy Israel. Israel is considering tougher restrictions on Palestinians as a way to pressure the government. (Telegraph-UK)
Gallup Poll: Support for Israel among Americans Highest since Gulf War
by Jeffrey M. Jones
 Americans are much more likely to sympathize with the Israelis (59%) than with the Palestinians (15%), one of the highest margins in favor of the Israelis ever recorded by Gallup. Gallup also finds that Americans who say they follow news about world affairs "very closely" are more likely to sympathize with the Israelis (66%). The new poll finds 68% of Americans saying they have a favorable opinion of Israel, including 21% who are "very favorable," while 23% view Israel unfavorably. Just 11% of Americans have a favorable opinion of the PA, while 78% have an unfavorable view. (Gallup Poll)
Hamas Video: We Will Drink the Blood of the Jews
by Nadav Shragai
 The Hamas website last week presented the parting video messages of two Hamas suicide terrorists, according to Palestinian Media Watch. The first said: "We are a nation that drinks blood, and we know that there is no blood better than the blood of Jews. We will not leave you alone until we have quenched our thirst with your blood, and our children's thirst with your blood." The second said: "We will destroy you, blow you up, take revenge against you, [and] purify the land of you, pigs that have defiled our country." (Ha'aretz)
View the Video (Palestinian Media Watch)
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Secretary Rice Meets Arab Journalists, Discusses Hamas
 "The only path to a good and peaceful life [for Palestinians] is to have a government that is prepared to seek a two-state solution, that is prepared to recognize the other party to that two-state solution. You can't say you want the destruction of Israel and be committed to a two-state solution. Hamas needs to do that. They also need to renounce violence, because you can't have one foot in violence and terrorism and another foot in the political process. So, the international community is making, I think, what is just a very practical case. You can not be a responsible government and - govern responsibly and call for the destruction of the Israeli state and resort to violence." (State Department)
U.S. House of Representatives Urges Halt to PA Aid
 The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution last week urging that direct U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority be stopped as long as Hamas, which is expected to form a new Palestinian government, calls for Israel's destruction. The nonbinding resolution expressing the sense of Congress was approved 418-1. The Senate passed the measure earlier this month. (Ynet News)
Anti-Israel on Campus: Louder, Not More Effective
by Talya Halkin
Is the series of events indicative of a growing momentum among anti-Israel organizations on campuses abroad? To some observers, "yes" may seem like an obvious answer. A more careful analysis of these and other recent anti-Israel events, however, reveals that at their core is a rather small group of extreme anti-Israel activists, whom - however persistent - do not seem to be garnering further international support. (Jerusalem Post)
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