Counting starts in Palestinian poll

Counting starts in Palestinian poll

Source: Source: Al Jazeera

With counting under way and exit polls in the Palestinian elections indicating Hamas has come a close second to Fatah, the resistance movement is looking at how it could join parliament.

Shortly after voting ended on Wednesday, a Fatah official estimated that Fatah had won 46% of the vote, beating an estimated vote of more than 30% for Hamas.

Ismail Haniyah, a senior Hamas leader, said determining the group's future role would now be a priority.

"This issue is of great importance for Hamas and for most of the Palestinian people because the government will supervise the administration of Palestinian political and internal affairs," he said.

Haniyah said the United States had no right to interfere in Palestinian affairs by putting pressure on Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, not to include Hamas in a new cabinet.

See Full Story: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/9F526B8A-1D36-46F4-8195-0863DEBCB6DD.htm

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