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Source: http://blogs.cfr.org/abrams/2012/05/02/hamas-and-the-arab-spring/
Hamas a Loser from the Arab Spring
(Council on Foreign Relations) Elliott Abrams - It would be logical to assess that Hamas (a part of the Muslim Brotherhood) must be a winner from the "Arab Spring." But that assessment would be premature. Hamas has lost its long-time headquarters in Damascus due to the revolt in Syria. Those who worked there have scattered and, as a result, more power is centered in Gaza. Yet, to the extent that its key leaders are in Gaza, they are vulnerable to Israeli retaliation for any acts of terror they authorize. One of the reasons Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections was the reputation of Fatah for corruption. Now, according to recent polls, Hamas is seen as almost equally corrupt. Only 31% of Palestinians in Gaza give their Hamas rulers a positive evaluation. That number is more likely to decline than to rise. Hamas is one of the losers from the Arab Spring.