contradictory narratives: In Israeli eyes, "we left and got Qassams"; in Palestinian eyes, the Strip had become "the biggest prison on earth".
94 In January 2006, a few days after Sharon had sunk into a coma, elections for the Palestinian parliament took place, monitored by ex-President Jimmy Carter. Contrary to expectations, Hamas won a resounding victory with 75 of the seats, as against 48 seats for Fatah. Most of the Palestinian voters had not become more religious, rather they had become convinced that only violent resistance would bring results. Also, unlike Fatah, Hamas was considered untainted by corruption.
95 Israel,followed by the European governments and the US, boycotted the new Palestinian government headed by Hamas. The boycott continued even when the Hamas government was replaced by a Government of National Unity with the participation of Hamas.This radicalized the internal struggle within Palestinian society, and in June 2007 Hamas took possession of the Gaza Strip, while Fatah took control of the West Bank.Thus, two mutually hostile Palestinian entities came into being.
96 The capture of the soldier Gilad Shalit by Hamas and its associates in a military action on June 26, 2006, illustrated again the difference between the narratives of the two sides to the conflict.According to the Israelis, the soldier was "abducted" in an action by terrorists, who demanded for his return the freeing of criminals with "blood on their hands". According to the Palestinians, the soldier was taken prisoner in a legitimate military action, and for his return the freeing of hundreds of Palestinian fighters was demanded.
97 After the capture of Shalit on the Gaza border, Hizbullah carried out a similar incursion on the northern border and captured Israeli soldiers. Ehud Olmert, who was chosen to replace Sharon as Prime Minister, saw this as an opportunity to eliminate the threat of Hizbullah, which was supported by Iran and Syria. On July 12, 2006, he started Lebanon War II, which lasted 34 days. Its incompetent conduct by the political and military leadership caused a profound crisis in Israel.