Posted on 01/25/2006 10:27:59 AM PST by West Coast Conservative
Fatah emerged as the biggest party in Palestinian parliament elections, but Hamas came in as a strong second, a Palestinian polling official said Wednesday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Fatah won more than 42 percent of the vote and Hamas more than 34 percent, based on exit polling of 6,500 voters.
The offiical declined to give exact figures until the exit poll is published later Wednesday.
Polling stations across the West Bank and Gaza Strip closed on time, at 7 p.m. after 12 hours of voting, the Palestinian Central Election Commission announced.
Security forces closed the gates, but voters still inside the stations were allowed to finish voting, said Ahmed Dweik, a senior official in the commission.
While the overall voter turnout in Wednesday's Palestinian Authority parliamentary elections was over 60 percent, comparatively few of the 6,300 Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem wound up voting.
In other Palestinian areas, residents streamed to the voting booths in large numbers, while the Palestinian Authority maintained its declared state of emergency in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to ensure a smooth and secure election.
After casting his vote, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said he was ready to resume peace talks with Israel, even if Hamas joins his government. "We are partners with the Israelis. They don't have the right to choose their partner. But if they are seeking a Palestinian partner, this partner exists," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...
Damn, I didn't know that they were so strong in Pennsylvania.
When will Jimmuh give benediction over the results?
That's like a vote between Hitler and Stalin. Choose your reign of terror.
Apparently the great majority of "Palestinians" who don't support terrorism have a zero percent turn-out rate.
When will Jimmuh give benediction over the results?
He won't until they firmly commit to public condemnation of the United States and the Bush administration.
Since they still see that as a bad PR move ("okay to bash and attack Israel.....but we need America to think we're their frinds"). Jimmy will not get involved.
Now if Hugo Chavez were running for PM of the PA.........
Neither side has finished stuffing ballot boxes, waylaying election workers, or assinating rivals. We'll see when its over.
Right, Hugo Chavez took a couple of days to get the results right then had Jimmuh come in to raise his hand.
Hello mullah, hello fatah
Here I am at camp jihada...
Thanks. That one was bouncing around in my head, for some reason. ;-),
"Hello mullah, hello fatah
Here I am at camp jihada..."
Very clever, FreshWind.
LOL!
Oh, whew! I first thought the headline meant "Pennsylvania Polls Close" with a Fatah victory. Oh, no! Sharia in Pennsylvania already? :0)
>PA polls close: Initial results indicate Fatah victory
Is this good or bad?
I don't follow Palestinian elections.
Not so fast:
Palestinian official to Ynet: Initial results showing Hamas ahead
A Palestinian official told Ynet that the Islamic group Hamas is leading rivals Fatah in the parliamentary elections by a slim margin, despite exit polls showing the ruling party ahead with 42 percent to 35 for Hamas
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