19/01/2006
By The Associated Press The two main contenders in next week`s Palestinian parliamentary election pledged to avoid violence on voting day and work together afterward, but a Hamas leader ruled out peace talks with Israel.
The no-violence pledge came Wednesday in Gaza, coupled with a promise that the ruling Fatah and its main challenger, the militant Islamic Hamas, will work together after the January 25 election.
It was a tacit admission by Fatah that Hamas will be a significant factor in the new parliament. Hamas, running for the first time, is set to take advantage of voter dissatisfaction with a decade of Fatah rule because of widespread corruption and inefficiency, as well as its inability to control internal violence, some of it directly connected to the election.
The two groups also agreed Wednesday not to bring weapons to polling stations in a bid to assure a smooth parliamentary vote, leaders said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hamas ruled out talks with Israel and threatened to kidnap Israel Defense Forces soldiers, following Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas` statement that he would rather resign than let extremists block his peace agenda.
Abbas said Wednesday he might resign his office if the government elected in January 25 parliamentary elections opposes his platform, which includes peaceful negotiations with Israel.
The Palestinian leader expressed hope, however, that Hamas - poised to make a strong showing in next week`s Palestinian parliament election - will moderate its views if it shares power.
At a Hamas campaign rally in Gaza, Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar ruled out negotiations with Israel. Hamas "is not going to acknowledge the ownership of any inch of Israel on this holy land," he said. "We are not looking to Israel as a partner now or in the future."
He demanded that Israel release all Palestinian prisoners unconditionally.
Otherwise, he said, "There is no option left except kidnapping soldiers and exchanging them for the detainees and prisoners."
Hamas, which calls for the destruction of Israel and has carried out scores of deadly attacks against Israel in recent years, was expected to post a strong challenge to Abbas` ruling Fatah Party in the election and earn a spot in the next government.
Polls show that Fatah is steadily losing ground against Hamas for the January 25 parliamentary elections. A poll conducted this week gave Fatah only 35.9 percent of the vote, compared to 26.9 percent for Hamas, or a 10-point gain for the militants within a month.
A coalition government with Hamas would make it difficult for Israel and the Palestinians to restart long-frozen peace efforts.
"I won`t say if Hamas joins I will withdraw," Abbas said. "There is a political program ... and if I feel I can`t implement it, then staying in my chair is not the ultimate goal," Abbas said, referring to his post as Palestinian leader. However, he held out hope that regardless of the election results, he would be able to pursue his peace plans.
"I struggled and fought for Hamas to come to the legislature," Abbas said, adding that he doesn`t mind if Hamas joins parliament as long as he can keep working for peace. "Maybe Hamas will change its policy, no one knows," he said. "Maybe it will say it will accept negotiations."
Abbas spoke a day after Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that following the completion of upcoming Palestinian and Israeli elections he hoped to begin negotiations with Abbas that would lead to "a permanent peace agreement between us and the Palestinians." Abbas enthusiastically welcomed the overture.
"We will not hesitate to get into such a negotiation," Abbas said. "The way to peace is to sit together at the negotiation table, not the path of killings and unilateral actions."
Abbas also reiterated his demand that armed Palestinian groups give up their weapons and submit to the authority of the security forces, a demand that has been uniformly ignored in chaotic Palestinian areas. Abbas said the 11 parties participating in the election had a responsibility to disarm.
"It is not their right to participate in political life and maintain militias," he said. "There should be no one armed beyond the law."
He also said that Israel, which has demanded he dismantle the militant groups, was interfering with his efforts to maintain order in Palestinian areas. Palestinian security forces were conducting operations against militants in the northern West Bank areas of Jenin and Nablus, but then Israeli troops raided the communities "and ruined everything," he said.
Abbas also promised that the elections would be clean and honest and warned gunman not to bring arms to the polling stations. Hamas has also agreed to refrain from bringing weapons to the stations.
"The agreement included all forms of armed displays," Fatah`s Samir al-Mashharawi said of the deal, which was hammered out with senior Hamas leaders late Tuesday.
The deal falls short of a Palestinian Authority proposal for militants to put their weapons into storage during next week`s vote. Fears of chaos and lawlessness in Gaza have grown since Israel`s withdrawal last September intensified a power struggle among armed factions and security forces.
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