Hamas: We will not negotiate with Israel
Chair of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Khaled Masha’al, said that the movement will not negotiate with Israel now and that the movement decided to contest…
Armed Factions to be banned from approaching ballots
Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Youssef announced on Monday that armed factions will not be allowed to be present around the ballots during Wednesday’s parliamentary elections. Youssef told a press…
Despite claims to halt attacks, Army strikes Gaza
Israeli army claimed it will halt military operations against Palestinians through Wednesday’s Palestinian parliamentary elections, military sources said on Monday. Meanwhile, Sunday evening, that one resident was killed; at least…
ISR police arrests Hamas candidate in Jerusalem
Israeli police arrested on Sunday afternoon, Mohammad Totah, Hamas candidate in Jerusalem after participating in a debate on elections, organized by the Network of Nongovernmental Organization in Jerusalem. Candidates of…
Hamas accuses CEC of violating election protocol
As Palestinian Security personnel began to vote on Saturday, four days ahead of the general Palestinian Legislative Council elections, Hamas movement accused the Central Elections Committee (CEC) of violating the…
58.705 PA policemen to cast ballots
The Palestinian Central Elections Committee (CEC) announced on Saturday that some 58.705 members of the Palestinian Police and Security Forces are scheduled to start casting their votes for the Palestinian…
Poll: ‘Hamas, Fateh in close race as elections approach’
As the Palestinian legislative elections approach, Hamas and Fateh movements showed neck-to-neck competition with and advantage of only 2.1% for Fateh in the West Bank, the Jerusalem Media and Communications…
Peres: ‘Israeli could hold talks with Hamas if it disarms’
Israeli online daily Haaretz reported that Shimon Peres said on Friday that Israel would be ready to negotiate with Hamas if it "renounces violence and disarms" after the Palestinian Legislative…
Hamas declares Oslo accords dead
Ismail Haniyya, one of Hamas leaders and a candidate to the Palestinian Legislative Council candidate, said that the Oslo accords are "Dead", and that the movement is participating in the…
P.A: Elections candidates must work to end lawlessness and ensure rule of law
Candidates to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) must set up mechanisms to establish the rule of law in the Gaza Strip and in the areas of the West Bank under…
Israel continues to harass candidates, impedes campaigning in Jerusalem
Israeli forces resumed their harassments against the candidates and the Palestinian parties participating in the January 25 Legislative Council elections. The International Press Center, IPC, reported on Thursday, that Secretary…
PICCR receives guarantees from Al Aqsa Brigades for smooth flow of elections
The Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens’ Rights held two meetings with leaders of the Al Aqsa Brigades in the West Bank cities of Jenin and Nablus regarding a smooth flow…
Zahhar: ‘we have to abduct soldiers to secure prisoners release’
Hamas leader and candidate for the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, Mahmoud Al Zahhar, said on Wednesday at night, that the movement has no choice but to abduct Israeli soldiers in…
Hamas, Fateh, agree to honor and protect elections
Fateh and Hamas movements agreed on Wednesday to honor and protect the Palestinian Legislative elections which will be held on January 25, 2006. The two movements, along with several other…
Abbas: ‘I am committed to the Road Map Plan’
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Abu Mazin, said that he is ready for immediate resumption of peace talks with Israel, and that he is ready to convene with the acting Israeli…
Fateh Central Committee member loses consciousness during speech
The Maan News Agency in Bethlehem reported that senior Fateh leader, Hani Al Hasan, was transported to Maqassed Hospital in Jerusalem after losing consciousness during a speech in Al Biereh,…
Olmert says negotiation with P.A after factions are disarmed
Israeli acting Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert said that he hopes that negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel will resume after the elections in both the Palestinian territories and Israel,…
Islamic Jihad calls on supporters to boycott elections
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine called on its supporters to boycott the upcoming Palestinian Legislative Council elections scheduled for January 25. The movement said that the elections are based…
Dahlan slams Hamas for stance on Jerusalem
Former PA Minister of Civil Affairs, Mohammad Dahlan, who resigned his post to run in the Palestinian Legislative Elections elections, slammed on Sunday Hamas movement for what he said its…
Israeli government: ‘Hamas cannot campaign in Jerusalem’
The Israeli government approved on Sunday the participation of Jerusalemite Palestinians in the legislative elections scheduled for January 25, but did not authorize Hamas movement to campaign in the city.…
PFLP leader remains in prison, despite orders for release
The jailed General Secretary of the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Ahmed Saadat, was elected to his position following the assassination of Abu Ali Mustafa in 2002.…
Three Hamas candidates arrested in Jerusalem
The Maan News Agency reported that Israeli soldiers arrested, on Sunday, three Hamas candidates in the Old City of Jerusalem. The agency stated that soldiers arrested Mohammad Abu Tair, Mohammad…
Welch: ‘P.A elections should take place in all areas’
American envoy to the Middle East, David Welch, said on Friday during a visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah, that the United States strongly believes that Palestinians everywhere…
Al Qidwa: ‘P.A will cancel the elections if Israel obstructs them in J’lem’
Palestinian Foreign Minister, Nasser Al Qidwa, said that the Palestinian Authority will cancel the legislative elections if Israel conducts acts to obstruct them in east Jerusalem. Al Qidwa said in…
Olmert to visit the White House ahead of elections
The American Administration intends to invite the Israeli acting Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, to visit the White House ahead of the Israeli general election slated for March 28. The Israeli…
Poll: ‘Hamas closing gap with Fateh ahead of PLC elections’
A poll conducted by Birzeit University’s Development Studies Program last week showed that Hamas is closing in on Fateh ahead of the January 25 Legislative Council elections. The poll was…
Israeli Cabinet to vote next week on allowing PLC vote in J’lem
Israeli acting Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, said on Tuesday that the cabinet will decide next week whether to allow the Palestinian in East Jerusalem to vote in the upcoming Palestinian…
Mofaz: ‘Jerusalemite Palestinians will be allowed to vote’
Israeli Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz, said on Tuesday that the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem will be allowed to participate in the upcoming Palestinian Legislative elections scheduled for January 25,…
PLC Candidate barred from entering Jerusalem
In contradictory to the Israeli public statements which claim allowing the Palestinians conduct election campaign in Jerusalem, Israeli soldiers barred Ahmad Majdalani, head of Freedom and Social Justice Elections list,…
Abbas says he received U.S assurances on elections in J’lem
Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazin) said on Wednesday that he received elections assurances from Washington regarding enabling the Palestinians to hold elections in East Jerusalem, and that he seeks…
PLC candidates reject the Israeli conditions on Jerusalem campaigns
Palestinians candidates for the upcoming legislative elections, refused to abide by the Israeli conditions regarding the participation of Jerusalemite Palestinians in the Legislative Council elections, particularly as the Israeli police…
Media source: ‘Abbas is considering resigning if Hamas wins PLC elections’
The Jordanian daily Ad Dostour published a report on Monday quoting a Palestinian credible source stating that the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas is seriously considering to resign if Hamas wins…
Media source: ‘Abbas is considering resigning if Hamas wins PLC elections’
The Jordanian daily Ad Dostour published a report on Monday quoting a Palestinian credible source stating that the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas is seriously considering to resign if Hamas wins…
Barghouthi: ‘Sharon’s health condition shouldn’t affect legislative election date’
Jailed Fateh leader, and Palestinian Legislator, Marwan Barghouthi, said that the health condition of the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, should not affect the Palestinian Legislative Council’s election date, slated…
Zahar: ‘No negotiations with Israel after elections’
The Palestinian Maan News Agency reported that Sheikh Mahmoud Zahar, one of Hamas political leaders in, denied any possibility that the Islamic resistance Movement, Hamas, will enter into negotiations with…
Zobeidi: ‘We can’t talk about elections while the Palestinians are still bleeding’
Leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fateh, said that the brigades decided to bar the international observers from working in Jenin or entering it, and…
Katsav: ‘Hold elections on time’
Israeli President, Moshe Katsav, called on parties in Israel to hold Knesset elections as planned, adding that Sharon’s condition does not justify delaying the vote The statements of Katsav came…
Jailed legislator says no elections without Jerusalem
PLC member Husam Khader, who is serving a seven-year sentence in the Hadarim Israeli Prison, criticized attempts to hold the Palestinian Legislative council election elections at any price even if…
Interior minister says elections will proceed as scheduled
In a meeting with representatives of several factions in his office in the Saraya neighborhood of Gaza City last night, minister of interior and national security Nasser Yousef said his…
Mofaz: ‘Israel will not negotiate with Hamas even if it was elected’
Israeli Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz, said on Wednesday that Israel will not negotiate with Hamas movement even if it was elected to the Palestinian legislative council. The statements of Mofaz…
Poll: ‘23% of Israeli voters might change their minds before elections’
Israeli newspaper Haaretz conducted in cooperation with Israel TV channel 10, a dialogue-poll which revealed that 25% pf the eligible voters in Israel might change their votes before the March…
Israeli Police releases PLC candidate Mustafa Barghouthi
Israeli police released, on Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, head of the Independent Palestine Coalition for the upcoming legislative elections, after detaining him for several hours and transferring him to…
Elections supervisors detained en route to Ramallah
In a step many considered an Israeli interference in Palestinian preparations for PLC elections set for January 25, Israeli forces detained, on Monday, 23 officials and supervisors of voting stations…
Election Campaign Started in the Palestinian Areas
728 candidates competing for the 132 seats of the Palestinian Parliament’s upcoming elections started on Tuesday morning their electoral campaigns in the different parts of the West Bank and the…
EU observers deploy in Palestinian Territories
Dozens of European Union observers to the Palestinian parliamentary elections began deploying in Palestinian areas Monday, undeterred by a wave of kidnappings and other violence that has swept through Palestinian…
Army arrests PLC candidate Sami Awad
Israeli soldiers arrested Sami Awad, director of Holy Land Trust (HLT), and candidate for the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in a nonviolent anti-wall protest in the town of Beit Jala…
Fateh Jerusalem candidates withdraw from elections
Palestinian Candidates of Fateh list in east Jerusalem said on Friday they would boycott Jan. 25 parliamentary elections. All of 15 candidates said they will withdraw their candidacies if Israel…
Israel appoints a team to draft stand with Hamas if it takes over P.A
The Israel Radio reported, on Saturday, that an Israeli inter-ministerial team is scheduled to begin working on Sunday on formulating Israel’s official stand if Hamas takes control over the Palestinian…
Qidwa says Jerusalemites must participate in elections
Palestinian foreign minister Nasser Qidwa said today there are two main conditions for holding PLC elections on their scheduled date. The first is the participation of Jerusalem residents. He also…
Aqsa Martyrs Brigades asks elections observers to leave Nablus
Aqsa Martyrs Brigades groups in Nablus announced their refusal to hold PLC elections on their scheduled date because of the ongoing Israeli measures. Sources close to the Brigades in Nablus…
Barghouti says future government will include Hamas
With less than a month to go till the up-coming election, Fatah’s top candidate Marwan Barghouti apologized to the Palestinians for the problems with corruptions within the Palestinian Authority and…
EU monitors flee as PA police storm Rafah office
Palestinian policemen, angry over the killing of a fellow police officer, stormed the Gaza-Egypt crossing on Friday, firing in the air and forcing European monitors to close the border and…
Israeli Poll: `“Likud up, Labor down`
According to the Mina Tzemach poll, published Friday morning by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the Likud party headed by Benjamin Netanyahu is narrowing the gap with Kadima part headed…
Palestinian Gunmen take over election offices in Khan Younis
Dozens of masked Palestinian gunmen took over election offices in the Gaza town of Khan Younis, on Wednesday, in an attempt to prevent the ruling Fateh party from registering a…
Palestinian court allows Fateh to merge election lists
A Palestinian electoral court has allowed on Monday Fateh movement to submit a unified list after the movement managed to merge rival lists of candidates for the January legislative elections.…
Abbas meets with Fateh regional committee in Bethlehem
During his presence in Bethlehem, and his participation in Christmas celebrations in The Church of Nativity, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said that the Legislative Elections will be held without any…
Fateh’s old guard quit legislative elections
Ahmad Qurie, the former Palestinian Prime Minister, and several other members of the Fateh Old Guard have decided not to run for parliament and withdrew their names from Fateh candidates…
Fateh agrees on a unified list
Sources within Fateh movement reported that an agreement has been reached between Fateh and its breakaway Future Faction in order to run in a unified list in the upcoming Legislative…
PA: No elections if Israel bans voting in Jerusalem
Palestinian Information Minister, Nabil Shaath, said on Wednesday that the Palestinian Authority will cancel January 25 parliamentary elections if Israel goes ahead with its plan to bar the Palestinian residents…
Abdul-Raheem to quit the official Fateh election list
In a letter to the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, Tayyeb Abdul Raheem, member of the Fateh Central Committee, said on Monday, that he is quitting the Fateh list for the…
Fateh to submit two candidate lists
In an attempt to end the split in the Fateh movement, leaders of Fateh agreed on Sunday to present two separate lists of candidates for the legislative elections slated for…
Hamas gains unprecedented victory in Nablus
Semi final results of elections for Nablus municipality showed that Hamas achieved a big and unprecedented victory and achieved 13 seats, while Fateh movement achieved only two; other blocks did…
Hamas achieves big victory in local elections
Initial results of local elections in the West Bank cities of Nablus, Jenin, and Al Biereh near Ramallah, showed a victory for Hamas over the Fateh ruling party. Although the…
Nasser: `“Candidacy registration Completed`
Just minutes before the midnight cutoff for registering electoral lists, Fateh submitted its official list, which includes 66 people who will run in the PLC elections slated for January 25.…
Hamas demands Israel to stop it campaign against its candidates
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, considered the statements of the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon – to arrest the candidates of Hamas to the Palestinian Legislative council if they attempt…
Israeli press says Fateh primaries an Israeli issue
The Fateh primaries were far from being an internal event. Israel was closely watching the elections because their outcome would more or less decide on future endeavors between the two…
Barghouthi: `“Fateh primaries, big achievement for the movement`
The jailed legislator, and Fateh leader, Marwan Barghouthi, said that the primaries at the Fateh movement are considered an important achievement in the path of real reforms which could save…
Hamas names three candidates for parliamentary elections
The Palestinian Islamic Resistance movement, Hamas, declared on Sunday, that it named three candidates for the upcoming Legislative Elections, slated to take place on January, 25, 2006. The movements said…
Jailed Fateh leader, Barghouthi, wins Fateh primaries in Ramallah
Marwan Barghouthi, the jailed legislator and Fateh leader, won Fateh primaries in Ramallah region with 96 percent of votes, and will most likely win top spot on Fateh list ahead…
Sharon’s government’s end nears, as Labor, Shinui agree on early elections
The new Chairman of the labor party Amir Peretz met on Tuesday with the opposition leader Yousef Lapid, chairman of the Shinui party to set a date for early elections,…
Hamas rejects postponing elections in Hebron
Hamas rejected the Palestinian Authority decision to postpone the municipal elections in Hebron until further notice.  Hamas’ spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, said there is no legal base or any national interest…
EU to train PA police force in Gaza, West Bank
The European Union is to announce on Monday a plan in which it will launch a three-year campaign to train Palestinians rebuild the police force, EU official source said on…
Barghouthi calls for an independent Palestinian judicial system
Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative called for comprehensive reforms for the Palestinian security forces in order to end the state of lawlessness in the Palestinian…
Abbas demands legislators to keep government until elections
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the Palestinian legislators to drop their demand to reform the government before the elections, saying it is a waste of time to form a…
U.S. will be selective in supporting PA election winner
The United States will not be helping any winner of the Palestinian legislative elections that will be held in January, U.S. President George W. Bush said on Monday. ‘You asked…
Imam kidnapped from village of Haja
The streets of Qalqilya were boiling with anger on Sunday night after the imam of the Sahaba Mosque in the village of Haja, Sheikh Mohammed Qashou’, 22, and head of…
Hamas, Fatah to sign a document of understanding in few days
Following several days of meetings between Fatah and Hamas, a document of understanding will be signed in the coming few days, Hamas spokesman said on Sunday. ‘Our intensive meetings with…
240 members of Fateh resign
At least 240 members of ruling Fatah party in Rafah area in the Gaza Strip, announced collective resignation from the movement as a protest of what they called Fatah’s weakness.…
Two Foreign Journalists abducted in Gaza, released
A Palestinian security source in Gaza reported that the two American and British Journalists, who were abducted on Wednesday in Khan Younis, were released and transferred to Gaza. Palestinian Minister…
Israel fears PA weapons may be used against it in the future
The provision of weapons to the PA is a sensitive and vital issue and is one of the issues that the Palestinians have brought up in all meetings with their…
Warnings against tension between Hamas and PA security Forces
Palestinian writers and politicians warned of the continuing and escalating tension between Hamas and some Palestinian security forces especially the clashes that erupted in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian writer and…
Palestinian resistance factions vow to avoid in-fight
The armed wings of the Palestinian resistance factions signed a national covenant of honor aimed at minimizing chances of in-fight and at the same time, safeguarding the resistance and maintaining…
Kidnappers release three Hamas leaders in West Bank
Hassan Safi, a senior Hamas leader in Bethlehem area was released Friday evening by his captives 21 hours after kidnapping him from Bethlehem on Friday morning, Palestine News Network (PNN)…
Egypt may propose delaying the PA Parlliamentary poll
Egypt is mulling tendering a proposal to delay the Palestinian parliamentary elections slated for January 2006, due to their belief that Hamas will have a strong showing in these elections,…
Third stage of the Palestinian local government elections start
At least 138840 Palestinians are illegible voters in the third stage of the Palestinian local government elections in the West Bank. 2274 candidates including 558 women compete over 814 seats…
Ereikat: Latest escalation in Gaza resulted from Infringements of PA’s Rule
The chief negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, Dr. Saeb Erekat, described the current Israeli escalation in the Palestinian territories as result of the overstepping of some Palestinian factions against the…
Palestinian factions to end display of weapons
After meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday evening at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in Gaza city, Palestinian factions agreed to end the display of weapons in the Palestinian areas,…
Zahar: Hamas will contest the elections despite Israel’s threats
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahaar, a prominent leader of Hamas said on Tuesday that his movement will contest the Palestinian Parliamentary elections slated to be held in January despite the Israeli threats…
Eight injured in clashes between PA police and Rafah residents
Palestinian sources reported that at least eight Palestinians including 3 policemen were injured when the Palestinian border police opened fire to prevent hundreds of Rafah residents to cross the borders…
Mousa Arafat’s son says foreign fingers in his father’s death
Shortly after his captives released him, Mahal Arafat, son of the recently assassinated ex-PA security chief, Mousa Arafat, said there are foreign fingers which tries to affect and impose things…
Israel demands Hamas to disarm, change charter to run for PLC elections
Israeli officials demanded Hamas to disarm and to change its charter before participating in the Palestinian Parliamentary elections scheduled for January 2006, Israeli sources reported. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon…
Netanyahu open election race, calls for new settlement
Benjamin Netanyahu started his election campaign to lead the Likud and regain the premiership by calling to build a new settlement in the West Bank. The area is called E-1,…
Netanyahu set to declare run for the premiership
The resigned Israeli Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu has decided, in a direct challenge to the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to declare his candidacy on Tuesday for chairmanship of…
Hundreds of Palestinian security forces move from Jericho to Jenin
Hundreds of Palestinian security forces arrived in the West Bank city of Jenin on Thursday to help maintain security in the city as part of the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to…
Islamic Jihad: We would not dialogue with Israel
The Islamic Jihad movement completely rejects opening any dialogue with Israel or with anybody that would serve Israel through dialogue, pointing out that the movement still regards Israel as an occupying…
Hamas has an armed group for women
A prominent source at the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, said that Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the movement has an armed wing for women. According to the source,…
Hamas condemns kidnapping French Journalist
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) condemned on Friday the kidnapping of the French journalist, Mohammad Wadouhi, by unknown gunmen in the Gaza strip few days ago, Palestine News Network (PNN)…
Red Cross suspends field work in Gaza
The International Red Cross suspended its field work in the Gaza Strip Tuesday after three UN workers – two foreigners and a Palestinian - were abducted in Gaza, the organization’s spokesman,…
Explosion rocks home of P.A attorney General
A large explosion ripped through the home of the Palestinian Attorney General, Hussein Abu Assi, in Gaza City on Monday night. It caused serious damage, but no injuries were reportd. The…
Sha’ath: General elections to be held in January
Palestinian parliamentary elections, originally set for July 17, will be postponed till late January 2006, Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Sha’ath said Sunday. Sha’ath said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would soon…