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Female members of the Islamic terrorist group Hamas attend a massive rally to celebrate the positive results of the group in the partial local elections in the southern Gaza Strip. (AP)
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| By israelinsider staff and partners May 8, 2005 |
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| Thousands of supporters and terrorists, some brandishing their weapons, celebrate Hamas' electoral victory over at least 30 local authorities in the territories. (AP) |
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Fatah is demanding Palestinian Authority local elections be reheld in Rafah and Beit Lahia in the Gaza Strip -- where Hamas emerged victorious in Thursday's elections -- due to allegations of election fraud.
"Hundreds of deceased individuals were suddenly resurrected and participated in the elections," said Fatah official Sufiyan Abu Zeideh, accusing Hamas voters of voting multiple times by using identity cards of people who are deceased.
Despite the Fatah movement's technical victory in Palestinian Authority local elections held last Thursday, Hamas scored unprecedented victories across local authorities in the territories. Fatah won more seats, but they are concentrated in small, unimportant authorities, while Hamas gained significant victories in most of the larger towns in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, among them Rafah, Beit Lahia, and El Bureij.
According to a report in Haaretz, Fatah candidates won decisive victories in 38 of the 82 authorities in which elections were held. The 38 authorities have a total population of approximately 230,000. Hamas won in 30 authorities, whose population exceeds 600,000. Candidates who are not clearly identified with either organization and independent candidates won in 12 authorities, with some 70,000 residents.
In Atara, near Ramallah, terrorists took over the polling station and the results of the election are not clear yet.
Palestinian election officials have postponed the release of official results from last week's local elections.
"In our opinion, there was a lot of fraud there that tipped the scales from a sweeping victory for Fatah in Rafah, and a sweeping victory for Fatah in Beit Lahiya to victories for Hamas," Sufian Abu Zaydeh, a Fatah Cabinet minister, told Israel Radio. "We're talking about a difference of 100 to 200 votes that can make the difference of giving most seats to Hamas or vice-versa."
Abu Zaydeh charged that 250 dead people voted in Rafah, and accused Hamas of having a hand in the disqualification of many Fatah ballots.
Hamas spokesman Sam Abu Zuhri said "such statements made by Fatah leaders, and some Palestinian Authority ministers, harm the image of Palestinian democracy."
Feras Yaghi, director of the local election commission, said legal authorities would have to rule on any alleged wrongdoings, but that he knew of no formal complaints. "We haven't received any verdict. As of now, we are not going to recount them," he said.
Yaghi said technical issues were holding up the official results, which were to have been published today. He said final results would be released Monday, and that he expected no major changes from the unofficial results.
Hamas' strong showing in the elections has added pressure onto PA chairman Abbas to bring the group, which advocates Israel's destruction, into the Palestinian administration. Abbas is responsible for encouraging Hamas to transform itself into a political party, hoping this would moderate its approach. But the group has brushed off his calls to lay down its arms after the election.
An Israeli government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed concern that Hamas will emerge as the largest faction in the parliament election and begin influencing Palestinian policy.
"We are not going to negotiate with terrorist groups in any way," the Israeli official said. "It is up to the Palestinians to decide which direction they want to go."
The AP contributed to this report.
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