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Hamas Mulls Palestinian Elections

Adnan Abu Amer considers the implications of a potential victory by Hamas in the forthcoming Palestinian elections.
Palestinians wave Hamas flags during a rally in the West Bank city of Nablus, marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of Hamas December 13, 2012. It was the first rally Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas allowed to take place in the West Bank since 2007, when his Islamist rivals Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip. REUTERS/Muammar Awad (WEST BANK - Tags: POLITICS ANNIVERSARY) - RTR3BJF8
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Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have updated the electoral register in preparation for a decision that may be issued to call for legislative and presidential elections, in the event that the efforts for reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas succeed.

It is no longer a secret that Hamas, which came to power by way of elections that were held during the same period in 2006, fears that the upcoming elections will put an end to its existence on the Palestinian political landscape. This explains the movement’s state of alert. Hamas has been intensifying its efforts to demonstrate that its term in office over the past few years has been successful, in spite of all obstacles and hurdles. The pertinent question, however, is: Will the Palestinian movement succeed in its quest?

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