The typical West Bank resident may indeed want peace and prosperity. It is likely he sees his personal fortunes tied to Israel. Yet the West Bank and Gaza are not normal places. A pathology of destruction and grandiose vision reigns. As long as Hamas controls the purse strings and offers a belief in conquest, young Palestinians will find its brand of militancy appealing.
What these young voters may not fully appreciate is that Hamas offers stability through total control; procedural democracy is a mere fig leaf for those ideologically committed to war.
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