Hamas wins key local elections in West Bank
The Hamas militant group won local elections in the West Bank’s largest cities, according to preliminary results released today, dealing a harsh blow to the ruling Fatah party just six weeks ahead of a parliamentary poll.
Hamas swept more than 70% of the vote in the West Bank’s largest city, Nablus, highlighting the fierce challenge posed by the Islamic movement to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party, which suffered a split yesterday when a group of young-guard leaders broke away.
A Hamas victory in a January 25 parliamentary poll could torpedo efforts to renew long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and damage the Palestinian relationship with the US. Hamas – sworn to the destruction of Israel and responsible for dozens of suicide bombings – is on the US list of terrorist organisations.
“If the Hamas was ever to become a dominant force in Palestinian politics, that would be the end of the peace process,” said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev.
Hamas’ welfare programmes – coupled with its fierce resistance to Israel’s occupation – have won it grass-roots support among Palestinians who are fed up with Fatah’s corrupt government and its inability to rein in gang-led lawlessness in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Abbas, meanwhile, is mired in an internal Fatah struggle. His last-minute attempt to unify the ranks failed yesterday when a group of popular young guard leaders split from Fatah, forming a new party called Future, led by jailed uprising leader Marwan Barghouti.
Hamas’ landslide victory is a direct result of Fatah’s internal struggle, said Hani Masri, a Palestinian political commentator for the Al-Ayyam daily. He predicted a handsome showing for Hamas in the parliamentary vote.
“Fatah today is a sinking ship. Everyone is trying to jump ship and this will open the way for Hamas to win the upcoming election,” Masri said.
Thousands of jubilant Hamas supporters celebrated in the streets of Nablus late yesterday, where the Islamic movement won 73% of the vote, or 13 seats on the 15-member council. The two remaining seats went to a coalition of Fatah and independent candidates.
“The big party will be when we win the elections” for parliament, said Hamas spokesman Yasser Mansour.
In the town of Jenin, Hamas won eight seats, while a coalition between Fatah and the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine garnered seven. In el-Bireh, a large suburb of Ramallah, Hamas won 72% of the vote, grabbing nine seats, to Fatah’s four. The PFLP and independents took the last two seats on el-Bireh’s 15-member council.
Even in Ramallah, the West Bank’s commercial hub and a city with a significant Christian population, Fatah only tied for first place, grabbing six seats in a coalition with other factions. The radical PFLP won another six seats, and Hamas grabbed three.
Official results will be announced on Sunday.
Shimshon Arbel, formerly Israel’s military governor in Nablus, said Hamas has invested a lot to build schools and clinics for ordinary Palestinians. Fatah, meanwhile, has been corrupt and failed to manage the Palestinian Authority, he added.
“The strengthening of Hamas is not a new phenomenon and not a new process,” Arbel told Israel’s Army Radio.
Hamas’ victory in the municipal elections was declared hours after Barghouti, 46, reaffirmed his decision to go it alone. Barghouti – serving five consecutive life terms in an Israeli prison after being convicted of involvement in fatal attacks on Israelis – is running on a list along with other well-known figures, including security strongmen Mohammed Dahlan and Jibril Rajoub.
“This is not a matter of a personal decision by Marwan,” said Kadoura Fares, another of the leaders who met Barghouti yesterday.
“It’s a matter of a majority in the movement.”
In another development early today, Israeli aircraft fired missiles at northern Gaza, wounding two Palestinians, residents said. The military said the targets were access routes to areas in northern Gaza where militants launch rockets.
At least six rockets landed in Israel yesterday, one near the coastal city of Ashkelon. No injuries were reported.
Hamas swept more than 70% of the vote in the West Bank’s largest city, Nablus, highlighting the fierce challenge posed by the Islamic movement to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party, which suffered a split yesterday when a group of young-guard leaders broke away.
A Hamas victory in a January 25 parliamentary poll could torpedo efforts to renew long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and damage the Palestinian relationship with the US. Hamas – sworn to the destruction of Israel and responsible for dozens of suicide bombings – is on the US list of terrorist organisations.
“If the Hamas was ever to become a dominant force in Palestinian politics, that would be the end of the peace process,” said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev.
Hamas’ welfare programmes – coupled with its fierce resistance to Israel’s occupation – have won it grass-roots support among Palestinians who are fed up with Fatah’s corrupt government and its inability to rein in gang-led lawlessness in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Abbas, meanwhile, is mired in an internal Fatah struggle. His last-minute attempt to unify the ranks failed yesterday when a group of popular young guard leaders split from Fatah, forming a new party called Future, led by jailed uprising leader Marwan Barghouti.
Hamas’ landslide victory is a direct result of Fatah’s internal struggle, said Hani Masri, a Palestinian political commentator for the Al-Ayyam daily. He predicted a handsome showing for Hamas in the parliamentary vote.
“Fatah today is a sinking ship. Everyone is trying to jump ship and this will open the way for Hamas to win the upcoming election,” Masri said.
Thousands of jubilant Hamas supporters celebrated in the streets of Nablus late yesterday, where the Islamic movement won 73% of the vote, or 13 seats on the 15-member council. The two remaining seats went to a coalition of Fatah and independent candidates.
“The big party will be when we win the elections” for parliament, said Hamas spokesman Yasser Mansour.
In the town of Jenin, Hamas won eight seats, while a coalition between Fatah and the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine garnered seven. In el-Bireh, a large suburb of Ramallah, Hamas won 72% of the vote, grabbing nine seats, to Fatah’s four. The PFLP and independents took the last two seats on el-Bireh’s 15-member council.
Even in Ramallah, the West Bank’s commercial hub and a city with a significant Christian population, Fatah only tied for first place, grabbing six seats in a coalition with other factions. The radical PFLP won another six seats, and Hamas grabbed three.
Official results will be announced on Sunday.
Shimshon Arbel, formerly Israel’s military governor in Nablus, said Hamas has invested a lot to build schools and clinics for ordinary Palestinians. Fatah, meanwhile, has been corrupt and failed to manage the Palestinian Authority, he added.
“The strengthening of Hamas is not a new phenomenon and not a new process,” Arbel told Israel’s Army Radio.
Hamas’ victory in the municipal elections was declared hours after Barghouti, 46, reaffirmed his decision to go it alone. Barghouti – serving five consecutive life terms in an Israeli prison after being convicted of involvement in fatal attacks on Israelis – is running on a list along with other well-known figures, including security strongmen Mohammed Dahlan and Jibril Rajoub.
“This is not a matter of a personal decision by Marwan,” said Kadoura Fares, another of the leaders who met Barghouti yesterday.
“It’s a matter of a majority in the movement.”
In another development early today, Israeli aircraft fired missiles at northern Gaza, wounding two Palestinians, residents said. The military said the targets were access routes to areas in northern Gaza where militants launch rockets.
At least six rockets landed in Israel yesterday, one near the coastal city of Ashkelon. No injuries were reported.
posted by Marko at 12/16/2005 05:41:00 AM
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