Fatah, Hamas both claim victory in local elections

Competition reached climax between Palestinian ruling party Fatah movement and the Islamic Resistance movement (Hamas) as both claimed victory in the second stage of Palestinian local elections, local reports said on Saturday.

The elections were held on Thursday in 84 councils, with 76 in the West Bank and eight in the Gaza Strip.

Senior Hamas leaders claimed that it won a majority, mainly in the big populated areas, while Fatah leaders announced that they won at least 56 to 60 percent in all the 84 councils.

These conflicting claims came amid tension that dominated the Palestinian areas, after both movements traded accusations on who had violated the laws and the holiness of elections.

The official results that will end such a dispute will be announced on Sunday after all votes are counted and ensuring that there was no interference with results, according to the central local elections committee.

A poll conducted after the voting showed that Fatah had won a majority compared with Hamas which earned about one third of the councils seats.

Mahmoud al Zahar, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza told a news conference that Hamas won in 34 councils out of 84, adding Hamas achieved an overwhelming success in the densely populated areas.

Al Zahar expressed astonishment that Fatah had hurried up in declaring the results, saying it "had created a confusion who had won and who had lost."

He added that the electoral process "is not a gift offered to anyone from anybody. It is a legitimate right for the Palestinian people to choose the people that can represent them."

Al Zahar said that Hamas had participated in 74 councils out of 84, adding "it participated in 6 councils in the Gaza Strip and 68 in the West Bank.

These results announced by al Zahar are contradicting with what Fatah leaders announced.

Abdallah al Ifranji, member of Fatah central committee, announced also in a news conference that his movement won in most of the councils.

Al Ifranji told the news conference, responding to al Zahar statements, that "what had been presented by Dr. al Zahar was very provocative and this doesn't create any positive atmosphere and competition among the Palestinians."

Al Ifranji called on al Zahar to stop immediately the provocative campaign and what he described, the escalation against the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Fatah.

"Fatah movement doesn't want to transfer the conflict to be among the Palestinian factions into a headache," said al Ifranji.

Executive Director of the Higher Commission for Local Elections Firas Yagi said that after counting nearly all votes, Fatah won 55 percent and Hamas 33 percent of the seats.

Independents won 8 percent and leftist and other Islamic groups won the remaining seats, he said.

In all, Fatah earned a majority of seats in some 51 councils, while Hamas acquired about 28 municipalities.

The biggest town won over by Hamas was Qalqiliya in the northern West Bank bordering Israel, where the movement obtained 12 out of 15 seats, the near-final results said.

Leftist groups split the seats in Bethlehem and its surroundings, where a majority of Palestinian Christians live.

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) conducted the first round of local elections in December in 26 towns and villages in the West Bank and in January in 10 Gaza towns, which gave Fatah an edge in the West Bank and Hamas was a clear winner in the Gaza Strip.

The third and final round of local elections in the remaining cities, towns and villages is expected to be held in September.

Fatah legislator Qadoura Faris welcomed the results, but said that although they represented an improvement for Fatah, they fell short of a victory.

"We had expected more," he told Israel Radio.

"Hamas did well too in populated areas," he said, adding that Fatah, which is plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement, needed to do more to improve its popularity.

Hamas, by contrast, has greatly increased its standing in the Palestinian street in the past four years of fighting against Israel, not least by running a social network which provides much- needed aid to impoverished families, but also by spearheading the armed uprising against Israel.

The extremist movement has carried out dozens of suicide bombings in Israel, in addition to scores of rocket and shooting attacks against soldiers and settlers, mainly in the Gaza Strip.

Independent legislator Hanan Ashrawi praised local authorities for conducting the elections in an orderly and responsible way.

"Apparently Fatah has learned from the first (rounds of the) elections," said Ashrawi.

In previous rounds, Fatah candidates had been running against each other. This time, the party presented combined lists and what observers said were more credible candidates.

Palestinian leader Mohammed Abbas, too, speaking to reporters in Ramallah late Thursday, praised the elections as a display of democracy.

This season of voting marks the first time Hamas has competed in local elections, which it previously boycotted. It will also take part in parliamentary elections for the first time later this year.

The atmosphere of the elections was more celebrative and competitive in Gaza where activists of different factions waved flags and erected tents and received the voters.

Yellow flag for Fatah, green for Hamas and red for left-wing parties, ordinary residents as well as leaders of Fatah and Hamas are waiting for the final results to be declared on Sunday.