Results show Fatah defeats Hamas in vote (AP) Updated: 2005-10-02 10:41
Fatah — under fire for its running a corruption-ridden government — was not
expected to make a strong showing in the municipal voting. Hamas, by contrast,
has been taking credit for Israel's recent withdrawal from Gaza, and was
expected to do well.
But the militant group's public standing suffered after some of its homemade
rockets blew up at a rally last week, killing 21 people and wounding dozens of
others. Hamas blamed Israel for the explosion, and fired barrages of rockets at
an Israeli town that borders Gaza.
Israel responded with airstrikes at Hamas targets and arrest raids, rounding
up some 35 Hamas members who were either candidates in the municipal elections
or active in the voting. Of those arrested, 17 won the election, Shobaki said.
Hamas said the Israeli arrest campaign hurt the group's chances in the
municipal vote.
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