Hooray for Palestinians! Abbas Trounces Hamas in Elections!!

Fatah does well in Palestinian vote - poll
05 May 2005 16:53:12 GMT

Source: Reuters

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RAMALLAH, West Bank, May 5 (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Abbas's ruling Fatah movement appeared to have done better than Hamas challengers in Palestinian municipal elections on Thursday, an exit poll showed.

The Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research said Fatah appeared to have won control of six of 14 municipal councils where it conducted exit polls in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Islamic militant group Hamas won two.

A win would be a major boost for Fatah, which had seen its popularity slip amid corruption allegations while support for Hamas was on the rise. It would also reassure Fatah ahead of a parliamentary vote due in July.

Thursday's poll results come against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire with Israel engineered by Abbas that has raised hopes of reviving Middle East peacemaking following 4-1/2 years of a Palestinian uprising.

Hamas, which boycotted previous polls, posed an electoral challenge to Fatah after gaining street credibility for its fight against Israel, religious piety, and charitable services.

Voting was held in 84 councils.

Hamas trounced Fatah in an earlier round of municipal voting in Gaza in January and made a strong showing in a similar West bank poll in December, although Fatah got more seats.

Hamas is sworn to Israel's destruction although it has been abiding by the ceasefire.