Fatah, Hamas agree on arms-free election day

The ruling Fatah movement and Islamic militant group Hamas agreed on Wednesday that arms will be banned on the Palestinian legislative election day.

Saed Seyam, a senior Hamas leader and Samir Mashharawi, a senior Fatah leader, told a joint news conference that the agreement, reached between the two sides at a meeting late Tuesday, was aimed at ensuring a successful election on Jan. 25 and turning the day into a Palestinian celebration of democracy.

Mashharawi, also a Fatah candidate to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections, said both groups expressed commitment to the agreement and both would make efforts to prevent any attempt to disrupt the election.

Any Fatah members or military wings were required to abide by the agreement, he added.

Seyam, who will stand in the elections as a Hamas candidate, said the agreement was also aimed at sending a message to the world that Hamas is able to make this national and democratic celebration a success.

Hamas, a radical militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, had been a major driving force behind more than five years of Palestinian uprising against Israel, but it largely abided by a truce reached between Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in February 2005.

However, Hamas' participation in the elections as well as its possible victory has raised concerns from Israel, which insists that Hamas be disarmed first.

Israel has banned Hamas from the polls, but allowed Palestinians in East Jerusalem to participate in the elections, as in the first parliamentary elections in 1996 and the January 2005 presidential elections.

Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Youssef has proposed to militants groups to store their arms during the election day, which was rejected by militants.

Source: Xinhua