'Israel would rather deal with Hamas than with Fatah'

The question of Palestinian statehood has never been so prominent on the world stage, but who within the Palestinian national movement could harness these recent diplomatic victories?Hamas is trying to maintain an image of strength after two years of devastating war in Gaza, while in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where illegal Israeli settlements are encroaching further and further into Palestinian territory, the Palestinian Authority (PA) seems incapable of implementing reforms, mired in a legitimacy and credibility crisis.So then, who?Hussein Ibish, a scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, shares his insight.L’Orient-Le Jour: How popular is Hamas among Palestinians today? What consequences could this have on domestic politics?Hussein Ibish: We don't know what its popularity is, although it would appear to have...