GAZA, Jan. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Prominent Hamas leader Ismail Haneya said on Thursday that the group's victory in the Palestinian legislative elections taught the world an important lesson.

   Haneya, who topped Hamas' list for the Jan. 25 parliamentary elections, told a local Palestinian radio that Hamas' victory would make the international community and the region reconsider his group.

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   "America and Israel wanted to vote against Hamas, so the Palestinian people voted for the Hamas and for the political partnership and voted against the occupation," he said.

   Israel, the United States and the European Union list Hamas, a radical militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, as a terrorist organization.

   As to the future of the group, Haneya asserted that there would no change before or after the elections.

   "These results increase Hamas' confidence in its principles, point of views and strategies. Hamas is committed to its strategy which was announced in our election campaign," Haneya said.

   Hamas, which has been a major driving force behind over five years of anti-Israeli uprising, campaigned on a platform of armed resistance, anti-corruption and charity work.

   He reiterated that Hamas would carry through with its armed resistance against Israel's occupation till all Palestinian rights were regained.

   The Palestinians want to establish an independent state on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital. The three parts were captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, but Israel ended its occupation in Gaza in September 2005.

   The Palestinians also ask for the return of Palestinian refugees.

   Haneya claimed earlier Thursday that Hamas won 77 seats out of a total of 132 parliament seats up for grabs, defeating the ruling Fatah movement led by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

   Meanwhile, another senior Hamas leader said the group would reveal its positions on forming the next Palestinian government after the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced the final official results of the parliamentary elections due later Thursday.

   Mahmoud al-Zahar told reporters Hamas' victory would enable the group to present its political programs on all sides, calling on all powers to participate. Enditem