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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated

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To: LindyBill who wrote (98802)	2/5/2005 11:00:27 AM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) of 793954

Hamas takes over at Gaza councils By Alan Johnston BBC News, Gaza Palestinian militant group Hamas is formally taking control of the municipalities it won in the recent local elections in the Gaza Strip. The latest town to come under Hamas control is Beit Hanoun, in the north. Hamas has been the most powerful force in the current Palestinian uprising - reviled by Israelis for its suicide bomb attacks on them. But in an important development, Hamas is now intent on becoming more deeply involved in mainstream politics. Its assumption of control of towns in Gaza is a clear example of this. Two days ago, a Hamas administration took over the running of a big municipality in the centre of Gaza. On Saturday, Hamas councillors will formally take charge in the northern town of Beit Hanoun. Hamas is very much an Islamist movement, but it says its administrations will not be setting any overtly Islamic agenda. A spokesman said the focus would be very much on practical rather than spiritual matters. There will be a programme of environmental improvement and there are plans to cater more for the needs of the poor and disadvantaged. Power player Most of all, Hamas will want to try to build quickly on its reputation in Gaza for honesty and organisation. It is that image that has brought it big recent successes. The ongoing programme of local elections has marked Hamas's entry to mainstream, democratic politics. And last month it won landslide victories in seven out of the nine councils it fought for in Gaza. Hamas swept aside the traditional Palestinian party of power, the Fatah faction that Yasser Arafat used to lead. Fatah is widely seen as being tainted by corruption and having failed to deliver good government. Israelis regard Hamas as being among the most deadly of its enemies. The group is blacklisted in the West as a terror organisation. But its role in the confrontation with Israel has helped to build it a large following in the occupied Palestinian territories. Hamas clearly recognises that by going the route of democracy and the ballot box, it might well become an even more powerful player on the Palestinian political stage. Story from BBC NEWS: news.bbc.co.uk

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