Ms Hilary Minch:

To govern in a democratic way is the key issue. It is up to the people of Palestine to elect who they want to have in government. In 2006 there were elections on the West Bank and in Gaza and more than 55% of the population voted for Hamas. Whatever personal feelings people have about Hamas and the kind of party it is, it was democratically elected and universally boycotted by the rest of the world. It is not up to us to interfere in internal Palestinian politics as to who should rule; that is for the Palestinian people to decide. They should have their own free and fair elections.