"Hamas Emerges As Political Force In Wake Of Municipal Elections"
Khaled Abu Toameh (May. 8, 2005)
Unofficial results of the local elections show that Hamas has won nearly a third of the cities and villages in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, turning the Islamic movement into a significant political power that could pose a serious challenge to the ruling Fatah faction.
Analysts in Ramallah summed up the results by concluding that while Fatah had moved one step forward, Hamas had made three steps in the same direction.
Hamas's most important achievements were in the Gaza Strip, where the movement's candidates won the elections in areas that had been traditional Fatah strongholds such as Rafah, al-Buriej and Beit Lahiya.
Altogether, Hamas won between 65-70 percent of the votes in seven areas in the Gaza Strip. Hamas supporters also scored significant achievements in the West Bank, especially in Kalkilya, Bethlehem and the Hebron area.
Fatah leaders were visibly disturbed on Saturday by the strong showing of Hamas, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
Some of them openly challenged the Hamas victory by accusing the movement of cheating during the vote.
A Fatah leader said that the growing power of Hamas should sound an alarm bell ahead of Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. "The Gaza Strip will be controlled by Hamas and Islamic Jihad after the Israelis leave," he said. "Their power will grow when Palestinians realize that the Gaza Strip has been turned into a big prison after the withdrawal."
Fatah officials blame Israel for the rise in Hamas's power, arguing that military raids and travel restrictions during more than four years of fighting had driven many Palestinians into the open arms of radical groups. This, they note, is in addition to the lack of progress on the political track and the failure of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to improve the conditions of most Palestinians.
Abbas is now under intense pressure from his Fatah party to postpone the elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council, due to be held on July 17, for fear that Hamas would further strengthen its political power.
Buoyed by the results of the local elections, Hamas has strongly rejected any attempt to delay the parliamentary vote.
Fatah leaders have been holding secret talks with their Hamas counterparts in a bid to persuade them to agree to a postponement under the pretext that the elections fall close to the date when Israel is scheduled to start leaving the Gaza Strip.
Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar says his movement recently turned down an offer from the PA to join a national unity cabinet in return for agreeing to the postponement of the legislative elections.
Like many Hamas activists, Zahar is well aware of the fact that Hamas has a good chance of winning enough seats in the parliament to allow it to join any future cabinet and participate in decision-making.
With Hamas lawmakers, ministers and mayors breathing down his neck, it's hard to see how Abbas would be able to move ahead with the peace process, let alone agree to any concessions.
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