Hamas leader says group rejects ruling on Gaza election results

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The political leader of the radical Islamic movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar, said Thursday evening that his organization refuses to recognize a court ruling annulling some municipal election results in the Gaza Strip which favored Hamas.

The court decision called into question Hamas' victory in seven of 13 council races in the town of Beit Lahia and its capture of 12 of 13 seats on Bureij refugee camp's council.

Al-Zahar said at a press conference that "these rulings are a plot that was born in the dark whose aim is to forge the will of the Palestinian people and rob Hamas of its achievements in local councils under the guise of a court ruling."

He also said that Hamas demands the panel of judges which called on re-elections be dismissed.

The latest court ruling echoed a court ruling on Tuesday throwing out returns in parts of the southern town of Rafah, where Hamas trounced Fatah in the May 5 elections.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/578266.html