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Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
Hamas blasts (not literally) election results |
2005-10-01 |
The Hamas The election committee intentionally avoided announcing that Fatah, headed by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, ran unopposed in some areas to make it appear its candidates had trounced Hamas, said Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza. He said, however, that Hamas would not officially challenge the results. "The announcement by the local election committee was biased," Abu Zuhri said. "It was a maneuver on the part of the election committee to present the numbers in an indirect way to favor one faction, and we will tell our people the truth." Fatah — under fire for its running a corruption-ridden government — was not expected to make a strong showing in the municipal voting. Hamas, by contrast, has been taking credit for Israel's recent withdrawal from Gaza, and was expected to do well. But the Israel responded with airstrikes at Hamas targets and arrest raids, rounding up some 35 Hamas members who were either candidates in the municipal elections or active in the voting. Of those arrested, 17 won the election, Shobaki said. Hamas said the Israeli arrest campaign hurt the group's chances in the municipal vote. Symphathy meter still at 0.0. |
Posted by:Jackal |