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Hamas to Boycott Palestinian Elections
A Hamas leader announced Wednesday that the militant group will boycott upcoming Palestinian presidential elections, the first sign of open tensions between the interim Palestinian leadership and the Islamic opposition group since the death of Yasser Arafat. The announcement by Hamas leader Ismail Hanieh could undercut the legitimacy of the Jan. 9 election, though Hamas said it would honor the outcome. Hamas has tens of thousands of supporters and is particularly strong in the Gaza Strip. "We are not calling on the Palestinian people to boycott the election, but Hamas members will follow the decision to boycott the election," Hanieh said.Hanieh spoke as Egyptian and Israeli leaders met in Jerusalem to discuss Israel's planned withdrawal from Gaza next year. Israeli officials said the two sides agreed in principle to allow Egypt to deploy additional troops along its volatile border with Gaza to help ensure quiet after the pullout. Since Arafat's death, the rival Palestinian factions have maintained a fragile calm, pledging to maintain unity during the current transitional period. Hanieh said his group would boycott the election because it did not include legislative and municipal elections as well. The interim Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, is a frontrunner in the presidential race, but Hamas would likely make a strong showing in local races. In the West Bank, Abbas played down Hamas' decision. "If they want to boycott these elections, it is up to them," he said. Formally launching his campaign, Abbas called for a renewal of peace talks with Israel and said the two sides would meet after the election. "We must have a dialogue with the Israelis," Abbas said at his campaign headquarters. "After the elections, we will meet again" to discuss the road map. The internationally backed peace plan calls for the establishment of an independent state next year, but has been stalled since it was signed in June 2003. Posted by: Steve 2004-12-01 |
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