Two factions pull out of Palestinian vote process

[bemildred]

They seem to have found some more leaders, somehow ...

JERUSALEM - Two Palestinian factions, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, said yesterday that they would not take part in the Palestinian presidential election set for Jan. 9, a decision that could complicate efforts for a peaceful and orderly campaign.

Hamas also said it had no intention of suspending its attacks against Israel in the weeks before the election, in which Palestinians will elect a new leader of the Palestinian Authority to replace Yasser Arafat.

"This election is illegal," said Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas leader.

"We won't participate in the presidential elections because any group that does this is obliged to negotiate with Israel and the Americans, and this goes against our position," said Nafez Azzam, an Islamic Jihad leader.

Winston-Salem Journal