Liberals?

You've read of Palestinian terrorists.

You've read of Palestinian fundamentalists.

You've read of Palestinian activists.

You've read of Palestinian militants.

You've read of Palestinian peace workers.

Have you ever heard of Palestinian "liberals"?

Well, Toronto's Globe & Mails thinks you should.

They published today this story with this headline:-

Liberal Palestinians fear Hamas win

Walking at the front of the parade is a boy, perhaps in his early teens, carrying the banner of the Hamas movement -- the Islamic militia-cum-political party that opinion polls suggest is poised for a breakthrough in today's Palestinian parliamentary election.Then come the drummers, dozens of them, pounding a martial beat. Some of the drummers look to be no more than five or six years old.

That Hamas was able to hold such a large march in the centre of Ramallah, long considered the most liberal Palestinian city and a stronghold of the secular Fatah movement, in the final hours of the election campaign speaks to the momentum the Islamists have heading into today's vote.