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Fatah official: no elections without Gaza, Jerusalem

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-10 02:29

RAMALLAH: A senior official of President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party reiterated Monday that his party will not accept holding the general elections only in the West Bank, without Gaza Strip and Jerusalem.

Azzam el-Ahmad, Fatah central committee member, told students at al-Najah University in the northern West Bank city of Nablus that Fatah party is determined to hold elections all over the Palestinian territories.

On October 24, Abbas decreed to hold the Palestinian presidential and legislative elections in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in January 2010.

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Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, rejected Abbas' decree and insisted no elections be held before reaching inter-reconciliation.

El-Ahmed said elections in all the Palestinian territories "are the only solution to getting out of the current crisis and division among the Palestinians after the efforts of Egypt to reach a reconciliation deal had failed."

Asked about the reason behind Abbas' decision not to run for the upcoming presidential election, el-Ahmad said "President Abbas ' decision came after he was disappointed by the current division and feuds."

However, el-Ahmad said his Fatah party rejected Abbas' decision and would try to persuade him to run in the elections.

Earlier on Monday, Palestinian sources said that if elections are not held, he would quit his post as a president.

Meanwhile, Fatah movement accused Hamas security forces of detaining a senior Fatah leader in the Gaza Strip. The group said in a statement that Jamal Ob'eid was arrested by Hamas for interrogation.

Feuds between Fatah and Hamas mounted after the latter seized control of the Gaza Strip by force in June 2007, routed security forces loyal to Abbas and cracked down on the secular Fatah party.