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| By: Associated Press |
| Published: January 23, 2006 |
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The Israeli foreign minister on Monday urged the international community not to accept the participation of armed militants in the Palestinian legislature following this week's elections in which the Islamic Hamas is running roughly neck-and-neck with the ruling Fatah Party.
"The elections were meant to give power and strength to dismantle the organizations and not create a situation where those organizations sit in the parliament and then become part of the executive authority," Tzipi Livni told a conference in the Israeli city of Herzliya.
Palestinians go to the polls on Wednesday to choose a new 132-seat parliament. Voter frustration over Fatah corruption has led to growing support for Hamas, which has carried out dozens of suicide bombings in Israel and is committed to the Jewish state's destruction.
The group has largely honored a cease-fire during the past year, however, and has emphasized clean government over "armed struggle" in the election campaign. Some Hamas leaders have signaled a willingness to maintain a long-term truce with Israel.
Livni said the world has frowned upon armed groups participating in elections in other places, including Spain and Turkey, and called on nations to apply the same standard to the Palestinians. |
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