As Hamas prepares to reconvene the Palestinian parliament and appoint a new prime minister, the United States and Israel continue to doubt the group's apparent unwillingness to renounce violence and recognize Israel.

Dennis B. Ross, who was the chief U.S. Middle East peace negotiator in the administrations of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, says it is crucial for the United States "to maintain a strong consensus internationally that there will not be relations with a Hamas-led government...unless Hamas is prepared, in fact, to change itself."

The Palestinian parliament meets this week for the first time since Hamas' win in last month's elections. Amid intense rhetoric, observers are left guessing about the future of the Palistinan Authority.

Two weeks after a stunning electoral upset, the thrill of victory is wearing off for Hamas. Faced with the options of abandoning its hard-line rhetoric or risking the loss of desperately needed foreign aid, Hamas' leaders must make some difficult decisions.

Khalil Shikaki, the director of a leading Palestinian polling organization, says that although Fatah lost to Hamas in recent legislative elections in the Palestinian Authority, its leaders may still agree to join a national unity government.

Aaron Miller and Dennis Ross discuss the coming year in Israeli-Palestinian Relations.

Hamas shocked nearly everyone with its overwhelming victory in last week's elections. The problem now is how to deal with the new Palestinian government.

The Palestinian Islamic group Hamas won a large majority of seats in the Palestinian legislature, putting a faction which embraces suicide bombings in a position to lead the Palestinian Authority. Yet for all the fear expressed over the consequences, some analysts believe the party most at risk is Hamas itself.

A guide to the issues behind the Palestinian parliamentary elections with background analysis and expert interviews from cfr.org.