Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they would not participate in municipal
elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in July 2010.
Both movements said the PA planned to fix the elections and stop campaigns by
Islamic candidates, Middle East Newsline reported.
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"Such elections would be tailor-fitted for the Fatah movement," Hamas
said in a statement on May 24.
The Hamas regime has already announced it would not allow elections to
take place in the Gaza Strip, the first since 2005. Hamas controls many
municipalities in the West Bank, including Hebron, Kalkilya and Nablus.
Jihad also said it would not participate in the PA municipal elections,
scheduled for July 17. Jihad called on the PA to lift restrictions on
dissent and promote national reconciliation.
"The Palestinian Authority is following a policy based on silencing
people and eliminating their rights to choose," Jihad said.