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Palestinian Premier, Cabinet resigns
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-26 18:49
Hamas' success has alarmed Israel and the West, but Abbas has argued that
luring the group, which has been behind dozens of deadly attacks on Israel, into
politics would tame it and increase the chances for peace. The election will
usher in a new parliament and Cabinet, but Abbas, who was elected president last
year, will remain head of the Palestinian Authority regardless of the results.
"We are coming into a new phase. In this phase, we are calling for the
international community to help us return to the negotiating table with the
Israelis, conclude the peace process and implement it," Abbas said after the
voting ended.
Palestinians were given the day off to vote, and the election was held in a
celebratory atmosphere that was rare in the recent years of fighting with
Israel. Some activists covered their cars with red carnations and others blasted
campaign songs from car stereos and storefront speakers.
Campaign posters hung on nearly every wall, dangled from electric lines over
the street and were plastered to the hoods of cars. Some children ran through
the streets wearing the green flag of Hamas as a cape. Others wore the
black-and-white checkered scarf of Fatah.
Some 13,500 police officers guarded the 1,008 polling stations to prevent
gunmen from disrupting the vote, and there were no reports of major violence. In
the West Bank's Balata refugee camp, militants who had threatened to burn down
polling stations checked their assault rifles at the door with a flourish and
peacefully voted.
Hoping to harness a wave of discontent with Fatah, Hamas ran an
anti-corruption campaign, calling its party Reform and Change.
"We've reached the worst. The most important thing now is change," said Raed
Abu Hamam, 35, a construction worker in Gaza's Beach camp who said he has lost
faith in Fatah.
Fatah appealed for another chance to clean up the government and expand an
economy shattered by nearly five years of fighting with Israel. Many Fatah
voters said they were grudgingly supporting the party out of old loyalties.
"The Palestinian Authority did nothing for us. People here have no jobs,
while people in the PA got millions of dollars," said Ali Taha, 35, a laborer in
the Amari refugee camp in Ramallah, who voted for Fatah anyway.
Though the election appeared likely to turn on internal issues, the results
will have deep implications for future peace efforts with Israel.
Abbas said Wednesday he is prepared to resume peace talks, even if Hamas
joins his government. Hamas is expected to ask for service ministries — health,
education and welfare — and to leave diplomacy to others.
"We are ready to negotiate," Abbas said. "We are partners with the Israelis.
They don't have the right to choose their partner."
Israel says it will not deal with Hamas until it disarms. But Haniyeh said
the group had no intention of laying down its arms after the elections. Another
candidate, Mahmoud Zahar, said his group is "not going to change a single word"
in its covenant calling for Israel's destruction.
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