Initial results for Saturday’s local elections in the West Bank showed that the
ruling Fatah faction won many municipalities and local councils, but it was not a
landslide victory as its leaders had expected.
Still, Fatah officials
described the results as a “huge victory,” saying its faction continues to enjoy
the backing of a majority of Palestinians.
The officials also said that
they consider the results of the vote as a vote of confidence in Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his policies.
Hamas, Fatah’s main
rival, boycotted the elections and banned the PA from holding the vote in the
Gaza Strip.
“Fatah ran in the elections against itself and its political
allies and not against its political rivals,” said Nabil Amr, a senior Fatah
official.
He said that internal squabbling had once again had a negative
impact on the faction’s performance in the elections.
Internal
differences were one of the main reasons why Fatah lost the 2006 parliamentary
election to Hamas.