President Mahmoud Abbas's ruling Fatah party finished ahead in Palestinian municipal elections, but Hamas militants took key urban centres, official results showed today.
The strong performance by Hamas, which has sworn to destroy Israel but is abiding by a de facto ceasefire, suggests the Islamic group could mount a serious challenge to long-dominant Fatah in a parliamentary election set for this summer.
Election officials said Fatah captured about 50 of 84 municipal councils in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but Hamas won around 30, including the Gaza border city of Rafah and the West Bank town of Qalqilya.
The official results, which will not be finalised until after an investigation of voting irregularities in some areas, showed Hamas gaining control of six more councils than in an earlier unofficial tally.
Both sides had disputed the preliminary count, and protesting gunmen from the Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades yesterday briefly shut Gaza offices registering voters for the parliamentary vote.
The gunmen were furious over what they called fraudulent results showing urban victories by Hamas, which they accused of stuffing ballot boxes. Hamas denied the charge, and said it had won 34 councils.
Foreign observers said the vote was generally fair.
Hamas electoral successes could complicate Mr Abbas's efforts to revive peacemaking with Israel. Fatah has been damaged by corruption allegations while Hamas has gained credibility from its fight against Israel, religious piety and charitable work.