zipman
Literotica Guru
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- Jul 30, 2002
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With the election results coming in, it looks like Hamas has won a majority of the votes, which effectively will delay if not doom any prospect of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
~~~~~~~~~~
RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- In a stunning development ahead of official election results, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorie said he and the rest of the Palestinian Authority government will resign in the wake of militant group Hamas' apparent victory in historic elections.
The announcement was an acknowledgment that election results showed Hamas had won a majority of seats in the 132-seat Palestinian Legislative Council, supplanting the ruling Fatah party.
Qorie's office said it will be up to Hamas to form a new government.
"It's the choice of the people and it should be respected," Qorie said. "I think, if the majority is approved and has been reached, I think Hamas should form a new government, it's true. The president should ask Hamas to form a new government.
"For me personally, I sent my resignation to the president to enable him to choose a new prime minister," Qorie said.
Initial election results are scheduled to be released Thursday at 7 p.m. (noon ET).
Exit polls earlier had shown Hamas thrusting itself into the center of Palestinian politics but had not indicated an outright majority win by the group.
The exit poll from Bir Zeit University, a respected Palestinian school, showed Fatah garnered 46.4 percent of the vote and Hamas won 39.8 percent in the 132-seat Palestinian Legislative Council. That translates into 63 seats for Fatah and 58 for Hamas, according to the exit poll.
But other polls showed Hamas claiming a slim majority, a claim echoed by some Hamas officials, prompting a warning from Jerusalem.
Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel could not accept a situation in which Hamas in its current configuration -- committed to the destruction of Israel -- was a part of the Palestinian Authority.
"I will not negotiate with a government that does not meet its most basic obligations -- to fight terrorism. We are prepared to assist the Palestinians and Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) very much but they must meet their commitments," Olmert said, according to a statement released by his office.
The European Union, meanwhile, said it was prepared to work with any government -- to a point.
"We are prepared to work with any Palestinian government, if this government seeks peace, using peaceful means," said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU external relations commissioner.
Hamas, which boycotted the last election in 1996, capitalized on widespread dissatisfaction with what is seen as corruption within the Palestinian Authority and Fatah, and a perceived inability by the authority to manage the affairs of the Palestinians.
Fatah was formed in 1965 by longtime Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who died in November 2004, and dominated Palestinian politics for decades as the mainstream Palestinian nationalist movement.
"Mostly, they were voting for opposition and voting against Fatah -- against corruption, against nepotism, against the failure of the peace process, and against the lack of leadership," said Mustafa Barghouti with the Palestinian National Initiative, a democratic opposition movement.
He added: "Today (Wednesday) was a great day for Palestine. This is the best democratic practice ever in the Arab world." (Watch Gaza residents talk about why election day is so important -- 2:32)
Hamas has called for the destruction of Israel and carried out numerous terrorists attacks that have killed scores of Israelis over the years. The group is listed as a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.
Turnout near 78 percent
Election officials estimated about 77.7 percent of the eligible 1.3 million voters turned out to cast their ballots at more than 1,000 polling stations. Voting closed around 7 p.m. (noon ET) in Gaza and the West Bank, and it was extended in predominantly Arab east Jerusalem for two hours to accommodate heavy turnout. (Watch how preliminary results divide up seats -- 3:05)
Among those who joined the voters were Abbas and Mahmoud Zahar, the leader of Hamas. Militant Palestinian groups had agreed to a cease-fire during the voting, and there were no reports of major violence.
"We are embarking on a new era, and we call on the international community to help us return to the negotiating table with the Israelis, to conclude a peace agreement and implement it," Abbas said at the end of the election.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa told CNN: "It's a happy day. There is no doubt about that. And I think that the Palestinian people are generally happy because of this." (Read how the vote demonstrates Palestinians' will to flex their political muscle)
'Monopoly ... is finished'
At polling sites in Gaza, many voters jubilantly waved the green flag of Hamas and expressed anger at Fatah.
"Fatah hasn't done anything for us, for our children," said one Hamas voter at a polling site in Gaza.
Another said: "Fatah only helps itself. We want to see what Hamas can do for us."
Naila Ayesh and her husband, Jamal, said they are worried about the message Hamas is sending to Palestinians. Naila said Hamas told women if they didn't vote for the militant group that "at the end, God will punish you."
The couple voted for Third Way, a secular, pro-reform party. Jamal said the days when Fatah called the shots are over.
"Monopoly of the political system is finished," he said.
The results of the election were being closely monitored by the United States and European Union, both of which have threatened to cut aid if Hamas becomes part of the government.
The U.S. State Department was blunt.
"We view Hamas as a terrorist organization. We don't deal with Hamas. And under the current circumstances, I don't see that changing," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan was more cautious: "We'll see what the election results are. I'm not going to play a what-if scenario here."
Impact on the peace process?
There have been talks about a power-sharing coalition, in which Fatah maintains the more political posts and Hamas has lower-level ministry positions.
Asked how Palestinians could move forward with peacemaking with Israel, al-Kidwa told CNN, "Maybe this is one of the reasons why we prefer not to have it in the government at this stage."
He added: "We have to maintain making peace with Israel as a priority. Actually, this is in our interest, in the interests of the Palestinian people. We need to reach final settlement with Israelis."
Zahar, the head of Hamas, earlier in the day left open the possibility of forming a coalition with Fatah, as well as the possibility of future negotiations with Israel, under certain conditions. (Watch Hamas attempt to redefine its image -- 2:51)
Zahar said his goals include reconstruction of areas he said have been destroyed by years of Israeli occupation and corruption, and the rebuilding of the Palestinian infrastructure.
He said he would be open to negotiations with Israel, but only if the Israelis enter into talks with good will and respect for the rights of Palestinians.
"We are not going to meet them just for meeting," Zahar told a throng of reporters after casting his own ballot. Previously, he said, many meetings have been held but "ended with nothing."
Asked if Hamas would ever recognize Israel, Zahar replied: "Never."
On the eve of the voting, Israel's Olmert had this message for Palestinians: "Do not choose extremists who have led them from tragedy to tragedy and to misery."
~~~~~~~~~~
RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- In a stunning development ahead of official election results, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorie said he and the rest of the Palestinian Authority government will resign in the wake of militant group Hamas' apparent victory in historic elections.
The announcement was an acknowledgment that election results showed Hamas had won a majority of seats in the 132-seat Palestinian Legislative Council, supplanting the ruling Fatah party.
Qorie's office said it will be up to Hamas to form a new government.
"It's the choice of the people and it should be respected," Qorie said. "I think, if the majority is approved and has been reached, I think Hamas should form a new government, it's true. The president should ask Hamas to form a new government.
"For me personally, I sent my resignation to the president to enable him to choose a new prime minister," Qorie said.
Initial election results are scheduled to be released Thursday at 7 p.m. (noon ET).
Exit polls earlier had shown Hamas thrusting itself into the center of Palestinian politics but had not indicated an outright majority win by the group.
The exit poll from Bir Zeit University, a respected Palestinian school, showed Fatah garnered 46.4 percent of the vote and Hamas won 39.8 percent in the 132-seat Palestinian Legislative Council. That translates into 63 seats for Fatah and 58 for Hamas, according to the exit poll.
But other polls showed Hamas claiming a slim majority, a claim echoed by some Hamas officials, prompting a warning from Jerusalem.
Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel could not accept a situation in which Hamas in its current configuration -- committed to the destruction of Israel -- was a part of the Palestinian Authority.
"I will not negotiate with a government that does not meet its most basic obligations -- to fight terrorism. We are prepared to assist the Palestinians and Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) very much but they must meet their commitments," Olmert said, according to a statement released by his office.
The European Union, meanwhile, said it was prepared to work with any government -- to a point.
"We are prepared to work with any Palestinian government, if this government seeks peace, using peaceful means," said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU external relations commissioner.
Hamas, which boycotted the last election in 1996, capitalized on widespread dissatisfaction with what is seen as corruption within the Palestinian Authority and Fatah, and a perceived inability by the authority to manage the affairs of the Palestinians.
Fatah was formed in 1965 by longtime Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who died in November 2004, and dominated Palestinian politics for decades as the mainstream Palestinian nationalist movement.
"Mostly, they were voting for opposition and voting against Fatah -- against corruption, against nepotism, against the failure of the peace process, and against the lack of leadership," said Mustafa Barghouti with the Palestinian National Initiative, a democratic opposition movement.
He added: "Today (Wednesday) was a great day for Palestine. This is the best democratic practice ever in the Arab world." (Watch Gaza residents talk about why election day is so important -- 2:32)
Hamas has called for the destruction of Israel and carried out numerous terrorists attacks that have killed scores of Israelis over the years. The group is listed as a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.
Turnout near 78 percent
Election officials estimated about 77.7 percent of the eligible 1.3 million voters turned out to cast their ballots at more than 1,000 polling stations. Voting closed around 7 p.m. (noon ET) in Gaza and the West Bank, and it was extended in predominantly Arab east Jerusalem for two hours to accommodate heavy turnout. (Watch how preliminary results divide up seats -- 3:05)
Among those who joined the voters were Abbas and Mahmoud Zahar, the leader of Hamas. Militant Palestinian groups had agreed to a cease-fire during the voting, and there were no reports of major violence.
"We are embarking on a new era, and we call on the international community to help us return to the negotiating table with the Israelis, to conclude a peace agreement and implement it," Abbas said at the end of the election.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa told CNN: "It's a happy day. There is no doubt about that. And I think that the Palestinian people are generally happy because of this." (Read how the vote demonstrates Palestinians' will to flex their political muscle)
'Monopoly ... is finished'
At polling sites in Gaza, many voters jubilantly waved the green flag of Hamas and expressed anger at Fatah.
"Fatah hasn't done anything for us, for our children," said one Hamas voter at a polling site in Gaza.
Another said: "Fatah only helps itself. We want to see what Hamas can do for us."
Naila Ayesh and her husband, Jamal, said they are worried about the message Hamas is sending to Palestinians. Naila said Hamas told women if they didn't vote for the militant group that "at the end, God will punish you."
The couple voted for Third Way, a secular, pro-reform party. Jamal said the days when Fatah called the shots are over.
"Monopoly of the political system is finished," he said.
The results of the election were being closely monitored by the United States and European Union, both of which have threatened to cut aid if Hamas becomes part of the government.
The U.S. State Department was blunt.
"We view Hamas as a terrorist organization. We don't deal with Hamas. And under the current circumstances, I don't see that changing," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan was more cautious: "We'll see what the election results are. I'm not going to play a what-if scenario here."
Impact on the peace process?
There have been talks about a power-sharing coalition, in which Fatah maintains the more political posts and Hamas has lower-level ministry positions.
Asked how Palestinians could move forward with peacemaking with Israel, al-Kidwa told CNN, "Maybe this is one of the reasons why we prefer not to have it in the government at this stage."
He added: "We have to maintain making peace with Israel as a priority. Actually, this is in our interest, in the interests of the Palestinian people. We need to reach final settlement with Israelis."
Zahar, the head of Hamas, earlier in the day left open the possibility of forming a coalition with Fatah, as well as the possibility of future negotiations with Israel, under certain conditions. (Watch Hamas attempt to redefine its image -- 2:51)
Zahar said his goals include reconstruction of areas he said have been destroyed by years of Israeli occupation and corruption, and the rebuilding of the Palestinian infrastructure.
He said he would be open to negotiations with Israel, but only if the Israelis enter into talks with good will and respect for the rights of Palestinians.
"We are not going to meet them just for meeting," Zahar told a throng of reporters after casting his own ballot. Previously, he said, many meetings have been held but "ended with nothing."
Asked if Hamas would ever recognize Israel, Zahar replied: "Never."
On the eve of the voting, Israel's Olmert had this message for Palestinians: "Do not choose extremists who have led them from tragedy to tragedy and to misery."
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