Surprise at the scale of victory for Hamas in election with result leaving many questions for Palestine.
The Middle East's volatile political landscape has changed dramatically with Hamas winning a surprise overall majority in the Palestinian parliamentary elections.
As news spread that Hamas won an outright majority, people joined the celebrations on the streets.
Jubilant supporters of the Islamic movement were on the streets everywhere in Gaza and throughout the West Bank.
This was the first general election that Hamas had taken part in. The result suggests that for voters this election was as much about punishing Fatah for 15 years of failure as it was a vote of confidence in Hamas.
Hamas must now make a plan for government and Fatah will need to reassess their pre-election statement that they would not go into government with Hamas.
Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat says that once the dust settles, the options for government will need to be examined.
If Fatah decide not to go into coalition, it would leave party leader Mahmoud Abbas who was elected separately last year as chairman of a Palestinian authority comprised entirely of his political opponents. Nor, can Hamas expect the support of the smaller parties.
Mustafa Barghouti, Independent Palestinian Party, says that there is little difference between Hamas and Fatah. He says that Hamas practices the same kind of political patronage and nepotism as Fatah. Mustafa Barghouti and his party oppose all forms of political patronage and nepotism, and the freedom of Palestinians can only begin with democracy.
We want people, Palestinians, to get what they deserve as citizens.
Tensions have already emerged on the streets between militant supporters of Hamas and Fatah.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 26 January 2006. The reporter is Richard Crowley.
