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Sunday, Oct 02, 2005

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International

Hamas loses in West Bank poll

Conal Urquhart

Fatah maintains its dominant position in local elections

TEL AVIV: Fatah, the largest Palestinian political party, has maintained its dominant position over the Islamist group Hamas in local elections in the West Bank. The faction of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won 54 per cent of the vote while Hamas received 26 per cent. Fatah controls 61 out of 104 authorities and Hamas 28.

The Israeli army continued a crackdown on militants in the West Bank on Friday. Two men and a 13-year-old boy were killed as soldiers conducted raids in refugee camps in the town of Nablus.

The soldiers encountered gunfire as they entered Balata refugee camp searching for wanted men. Two Palestinians were killed. In a similar raid in the Askar camp in Nablus, Said Tantawi (13) was shot dead by Israeli soldiers.

In previous rounds of local elections, Hamas won around 30 per cent of the votes and took control of large towns including Rafah, Qalqilya and Beit Lahiya.

But in this round the organisation only put up candidates in 56 areas, leaving Fatah unopposed in 22. It was also hampered by the arrest of candidates and activists who were among more than 400 men picked up by the Israeli army this week.

Hamas has been diminished in Palestinian eyes after the accidental detonation of explosives which killed 19 persons at a rally last week. Hamas denied responsibility and blamed Israel, firing dozens of rockets from Gaza in retaliation.

Since the Hamas barrage, Israeli forces have launched air raids and arrest raids in the West Bank and Gaza. Israel threatened to reinvade Gaza but has restricted itself to firing artillery and dropping bombs.

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

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