Abbas seeks early vote to end standoff

[citizen snips]

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Saturday for elections to end his violent standoff with Hamas — a gamble that Palestinians will back him as he seeks to weaken the Islamic militants, avoid civil war and keep momentum for peace overtures with Israel.

Hamas accused Abbas of trying to topple its government, promised to block the elections and urged supporters to take to the streets. "This is a real coup," said Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar, a Hamas hard-liner.

Later Saturday, in Gaza, thousands of Hamas supporters marched in protest and 18 Palestinians were wounded in clashes between the two political camps.

Hamas' landslide election in January parliamentary elections split the Palestinian leadership into two camps. One, led by Abbas, seeks peace with Israel; the other, led by Islamic Hamas militants, is sworn to the Jewish state's destruction. The infighting has often degenerated into convulsions of violence, and this week, tensions reached their highest peak in years.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061216/ap_on_re_mi_ea/palestinians_politics

[maddezmom]

1. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2655301&mesg_id=2655301