Hard to believe, but the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas managed to make major gains:

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Jan. 25 -- Hamas won a large share of the vote Wednesday as Palestinians selected their first new parliament in a decade, but appeared to fall short of deposing the governing Fatah movement as the leading party in the legislature, according to an exit poll conducted in coordination with the Palestinian election commission.

The poll showed that neither Fatah nor Hamas achieved a majority in the 132-seat legislature, meaning that the next Palestinian cabinet will be made up of a coalition of parties. But by gaining near-parity with Fatah in the parliament, Hamas -- formally known as the Islamic Resistance Movement -- will have a major role in the Palestinian Authority and complicate efforts to revive a dormant U.S.-backed peace plan that runs counter to the party's campaign platform in key respects.

Complicate is an understatement, as this now presents a major roadblock to peace in the Middle East. Hamas is responsible for many, many Israeli civilian deaths, and if it has a major role in Palestinian government then it is highly unlikely that Israel will be able to bring itself to trust such a government enough to make any meaningful moves that will lead to the hope of a lasting peace.