A Palestinian court ordered a partial revote in local elections in a southern Gaza town early Wednesday, accepting a charge by the ruling Fatah Party of irregularities at the hands of its militant rival Hamas. The court ruled that another vote will be taken in three of the 14 polling stations in Rafah within two weeks, said the presiding judge, Ali al-Fara.
It was the first court ruling on claims of irregularities in the election, which saw the militant Islamic group win control of several major cities and towns, including Rafah. A Fatah official, Abdullah Franji, called Wednesday's decision "a victory for Palestinian democracy." Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, also welcomed the decision, saying it "confirmed the Hamas victory" in Rafah. He said only 20 percent of Rafah's 74,000 voters were affected. |