Wikinews has news related to this article:

Hamas wins Palestinian election

On January 25, 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). This was the first election to the PLC since 1996; subsequent elections had been repeatedly postponed due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian voters in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank including East Jerusalem were eligible to participate in the election. Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Palestinian Legislative Council, the legislature of the Palestinian Authority, is a unicameral body with 88 members, elected from 16 electoral districts in the West Bank and Gaza. ... The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA; Arabic: السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية As-Sulta Al-Wataniyya Al-Filastiniyya Hebrew: הרשות הפלסטינית Harashut Hafalastinit) is an interim administrative organization that nominally governs parts of the West Bank and all of the Gaza Strip (which are part of the Palestinian Territories). ... On January 20, 1996, elections took place in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem for President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), and for members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislative arm of the PNA. The 1996 elections took place in a moment of optimism in... Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip are at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ... East Jerusalem is that part of Jerusalem which was held by Jordan from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War until the Six-Day War in 1967. ...

Final results show that Hamas has won the election, with 74 seats to the ruling-Fatah's 45, providing Hamas with the majority of seats and the ability to form a majority government on their own. The Prime Minister, Ahmed Qurei, has resigned, but at the request of President Mahmoud Abbas, will remain as interim Prime Minister, likely until March 2006. Confronted to Hamas democratic victory, Abbas stated that he will remain in office and invited the radical party to form a government, igniting sour comments from the United States and the European Union who threatened to cutdown any funding of the PNA. Wikinews has news related to this article: Hamas wins Palestinian election The Hamas emblem shows two crossed swords, the Dome of the Rock, and a map of the land claimed as Palestine (roughly, present-day Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip). ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... In the Westminster System, a majority government is one in which the government enjoys an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or Parliament. ... The Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority is the head of government of the Palestinian government. ... Ahmed Qureia, AKA Abu Alaa Ahmed Ali Mohammed Qurei (or Qureia; أحمد علي محمد قريع), also known as Abu Alaa (أبو علاء) (born March 26, 1937) is prime minister of the Palestinian Authority. ... The President of the Palestinian National Authority is the highest-ranking political position (equivalent to head of state) in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). ... Dr. Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: محمود عباس) (born March 26, 1935), commonly known as Abu Mazen (ابو مازن), was elected President (Raees) of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on January 9, 2005 and took office on January 15, 2005. ... A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a previous administration or regime. ... To suggest a relevant news story for the main page, refer to the criteria then add your suggestion at the candidates page. ...

Electoral system

Map showing electoral districts and areas of formal Palestinian control (green)

The previous elections chose 88 PLC members from several multimember constituencies via block voting. In advance of the 2006 elections, Palestinian electoral law was changed to expand the PLC from 88 to 132 seats and create a degree of proportional representation via a parallel voting system. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1115x1530, 104 KB) Summary Palestine divided into electoral districts (as of 2006), marked with thick black borders. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1115x1530, 104 KB) Summary Palestine divided into electoral districts (as of 2006), marked with thick black borders. ... Bloc voting (or block voting) (also called Plurality-at-large) refers to a class of voting systems which can be used to elect several representatives from a single constituency. ... Proportional representation (PR) is a (by necessity multi-winner) electoral system whose use tends to make elections result in groups of votes being represented in proportional fractions in some body of representatives, i. ... Parallel voting describes a mixed voting system where voters in effect participate in two separate elections using different systems, and where the results in one election have little or no impact on the results of the other. ...

Each voter receives two ballots. On the first, the voter chooses one of several nationwide party lists. 66 of the PLC seats are distributed proportionally (in accordance with the Sainte-Laguë method) to those lists that receive more than 2 percent of the total list votes; if a list receives six seats, then the six candidates at the top of the list are elected to the PLC. Each list must include at least one woman in the first three names, at least one woman in the next four names, and at least one woman in the five names that follow. The Sainte-Laguë method of the highest average (sometimes identified with Websters method or divisor method with standard rounding) is one way of allocating seats proportionally for representative assemblies with party list voting systems. ...

The second ballot is for the voter's local constituency. The voter can cast up to as many votes for individual candidates as there are seats in his or her constituency. Votes are unweighted, and top-vote getters are elected to the PLC. For example, a voter in the Nablus district could cast up to six votes; the six candidates with the highest vote totals are elected.

In some constituencies, one or two seats are set aside for the Christian candidates with the most votes. For instance, in Ramallah, a five-seat constituency, the Christian candidate with the most votes will be elected to the PLC, even if he or she is not among top five candidates overall. The six seats reserved for Christians are considered the minimum quota for their representation in the council [1]. Palestinian Christians make up 6% of the worlds Palestinian population, according to Bernard Sabella. ...

The number of seats each electoral district receives is determined by its population; the breakdown is as follows: [2]

• Jerusalem: 6 seats (2 reserved for Christians)
• Tubas: 1 seat
• Tulkarm: 3 seats
• Qalqilya: 2 seats
• Salfit: 1 seat
• Nablus: 6 seats
• Jericho: 1 seat
• Ramallah: 5 seats (1 reserved for Christians)
• Jenin: 4 seats
• Bethlehem: 4 seats (2 reserved for Christians)
• Hebron: 9 seats
• North Gaza: 5 seats
• Gaza: 8 seats (1 reserved for Christians)
• Deir al-Balah: 3 seats
• Khan Younis: 5 seats
• Rafah: 3 seats
• Total: 66 seats (6 reserved for Christians)

Jerusalem Municipal Emblem Jerusalem (31°46′N 35°14′E; Hebrew: â–¶ (help· info); Yerushalayim; Greek Ιεροσόλυμα; Arabic: â–¶ (help· info) al-Quds; (alternative Arabic found in Bible translations: أُورْشَلِيم Urshalim); see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city. ... Tubas is plural from Tuba, a musical instrument. ... Nickname: City of Generosity Motto: {{{motto}}} Official website: City of Tulkarm Location Location in Palestine Government Neighbourhoods Al-Salam, Al-Sowana, Dhinnaba, Iktaba, Irtah, Iskan Al-Mozafeen, Izbat Al-Jarad, Izbat Naser, Nur Shams Camp, Shuwaykah, Tulkarm Camp Mayor Mahmoud Al-Jallad Geographical characteristics Area 246 km² Land 246 km... Qalqīlyah (Arabic قلقيلية; Standard Hebrew קלקיליה Qalqilya) is an Arab city in the West Bank. ... Nāblus (sometimes Nābulus; Arabic: â–¶ (help· info); pronounced Naablus) ( Hebrew: â–¶ (help· info); pronounced Shkhem ); 32°13′N 35°16′E) is a major Palestinian city in the West Bank and, with a population of over 100,000, is one of the largest Palestinian population centers in the Middle East. ... Jericho (Arabic أريحا [â–¶]; ʼArīḥā; Hebrew יְרִיחוֹ [â–¶]; Standard Hebrew YÉ™riḥo; Tiberian Hebrew YÉ™rîḫô, YÉ™rîḥô) is a town in the West Bank, near the Jordan River. ... link titleRamallah (Arabic: â–¶ (help· info) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank of approximately 57,000 residents. ... Jenin (Arabic: â–¶ (help· info), Hebrew: גנין), is a Palestinian city on the West Bank, and is a major agricultural center. ... The Church of the Nativity, a Bethlehem Landmark Bethlehem (Arabic بيت لحم â–¶ (help· info) house of meat; Standard Hebrew בית לחם house of bread, Bet léḥem / Bet láḥem; Tiberian Hebrew Bêṯ léḥem / Bêṯ lāḥem) (Greek: Βηθλεέμ) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank and a hub of Palestinian cultural and... Hebron (Arabic â–¶ (help· info) al-ḪalÄ«l; Hebrew â–¶ (help· info), Standard Hebrew Ḥevron, Tiberian Hebrew Ḥeḇrôn: derived from the word friend) is a town in the southern West Bank of around 130,000 Palestinians and 500 Israeli settlers. ... The city of Gaza is the principal city in the Gaza Strip. ... Khan Yunis (Arabic: خان يونس) is a city/refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. ... Rafah (Arabic: رفح Hebrew: רפיח) is a town in the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian border, and a nearby town on the Egyptian side of the border, on the Sinai Peninsula. ...

Parties participating

Fatah

Before the 2006 election, the PLC was dominated by the Fatah movement, which held 68 of the 88 seats. However, Fatah has been beset by internal strife in advance of the elections, with younger and more popular figures like Mohammed Dahlan, who took part in the negotiations of the 2003 Oslo Accords, and Marwan Barghouti (the latter currently serving five life sentences in an Israeli jail on terrorism charges) levelling allegations of corruption against Fatah leadership. Fatah organised primary elections to determine its list members, but the results were disputed and central lists imposed in some areas. The younger faction submitted a list dubbed Al-Mustaqbal ("the Future"), headed by Barghouti. However, on December 28, 2005, the leadership of the two factions agreed to submit a single list to voters, headed by Barghouti, who began actively campaigning for Fatah from his jail cell. Despite this, the two groups are by no means fully reconciled, and how cohesive Fatah's parliamentary bloc will be remains to be seen. The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Mohammed Dahlan is a Palestinian, born in 1961 in a refugee camp in Khan Younis. ... The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles (DOP), were finalized in Oslo, Norway on August 20, 1993, and subsequently officially signed at a public ceremony in Washington D.C. on September 13, 1993, with Mahmoud Abbas signing for the... Marwan Barghouti in Israeli custody Marwan Barghouti (born June 6, 1959) is a Palestinian leader from the West Bank and a leader of the Fatah movement that forms the backbone of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). ... The exact definition of terrorism is highly controversial. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Marwan Barghouti, locked up in an Israeli prison, leads the new party Al-Mustaqbal are a new Palestinian Arab political party launched in December 2005, headed by Marwan Barghouti. ... December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

List of Change and Reform

The main component of this list is the Islamist Hamas movement, Fatah's main rival on the Palestinian political scene. Unlike Fatah, Hamas has refused to recognize the right of Israel to exist. Hamas refused to participate in the 1996 elections because it viewed the Palestinian Authority as illegitimate due to its negotiations with Israel; while it has not changed that stance, it fielded candidates in 2006. Going into the election it had considerable momentum due to unexpected electoral success in the municipal elections in 2005, organized by Yassir Arafat before his death. Islamism is a political ideology derived from the conservative religious views of Muslim fundamentalism. ... Wikinews has news related to this article: Hamas wins Palestinian election The Hamas emblem shows two crossed swords, the Dome of the Rock, and a map of the land claimed as Palestine (roughly, present-day Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip). ... On January 20, 1996, elections took place in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem for President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), and for members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislative arm of the PNA. The 1996 elections took place in a moment of optimism in...

The prospect of a Palestinian Authority dominated by Hamas has alarmed Western governments, which almost universally consider it to be a terrorist group, and which provide foreign aid that makes up almost half of the PNA's budget. It was fear of a Hamas victory that was largely credited with driving the reconciliation between Fatah and Al-Mustaqbal, the Fatah's second list led by Marwan Barghouti. Marwan Barghouti, locked up in an Israeli prison, leads the new party Al-Mustaqbal are a new Palestinian Arab political party launched in December 2005, headed by Marwan Barghouti. ...

Independent Palestine

This list is headed by Mustafa Barghouti, a distant relative of Marwan Barghouti. Mustafa Barghouti came in second in the Palestinian presidential election, 2005. The main component of this list is the Palestinian National Initiative. The list promises to fight corruption and nepotism, to demand the dismantling of the Israeli West Bank barrier, which it terms the "apartheid wall", and to provide "a truly democratic and independent 'third way' for the large majority of silent and unrepresented Palestinian voters, who favour neither the autocracy and corruption of the governing Fatah party, nor the fundamentalism of Hamas." Mustafa Barghouti (also often written Mustafa Barghouthi; born 1954) is a Palestinian democracy activist and a candidate for presidency of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005. ... The 2005 Palestinian presidential election — the first to be held since 1996 — took place on January 9, 2005 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. ... ... The barrier route as of May 2005. ...

Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa

This list is formed by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and is named after Abu Ali Mustafa, the General Secretary of the PFLP who was assasinated by Israeli forces in 2001. The PFLP is the second largest member of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), after Fatah. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) (Arabic الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين - al-jabhah al-sha`biyyah li-tahrÄ«r filastÄ«n) is a Marxist-Leninist, nationalist Palestinian political and military organization, founded in 1967. ... Abu Ali Mustafa (Arabic:ابو علي مصطفى), dates (1938 to August 27, 2001), the nom de guerre of Mustafa Zibri, was a Palestinian leader and was general secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine from July 2000 until he was assassinated by Israeli forces the following year. ... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic Munazzamat al-Tahrir Filastiniyyah منظمة تحرير فلسطينية ) is a political and paramilitary organization of Palestinian Arabs dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state to consist of the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, with an intent to destroy Israel. ...

The Third Way

This list is headed by Finance Minister Dr Salam Fayyad and former PA Minister of Higher Education and Research Hanan Ashrawi. Their platform focusses on reform of the security forces, democratic improvements and socioeconomic progress. [3]. Salam Fayyad Salam Fayyad (b. ... Hanan Ashrawi Hanan Ashrawi (born 8 October 1946) is a Palestinian Anglican scholar who is well-known as one of the most articulate Palestinian spokespersons. ...

In the run up to the election a Fatah leader in Nablus accused the Third Way of receiving funds from the CIA. [4]

The Alternative

This list is a coalition of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Palestinian People's Party, the Palestine Democratic Union (Fida), and various independents. The list is headed by Qais Abd al-Karim (Abou Leila) from the DFLP. The PPP candidate received 2.67% in the Palestinian presidential election, 2005. The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (Arabic: الجبهة الديموقراطية لتحرير فلسطين, transliterated Al-Jabhah al-Dimuqratiyah Li-Tahrir Filastin) is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist political and military organization. ... Palestinian Peoples Party (Hizb Al Shaab) - PPP, is a socialist party in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. ... FIDA symbol The Palestine Democratic Union (Al-Ittihad al-Dimuqrati al-Filastini, generally known as FIDA) is a small Palestinian political party active in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). ... The 2005 Palestinian presidential election — the first to be held since 1996 — took place on January 9, 2005 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. ...

Wa'ad

Also known as the National Coalition for Justice and Democracy, this list is headed by Gazan doctor Eyad El-Sarraj, who was a consultant to the Palestinian delegation to the Camp David 2000 Summit and heads a group of Palestinian and Israeli academics working towards a peace agreement. [5] The list's main platform is security reforms, establishing the rule of law and respect for human rights. Eyad El-Sarraj is a Palestinian psychiatrist from Gaza. ... The Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David of July 2000 took place between United States President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. ...

Boycott

The militant Islamist group, Islamic Jihad called on Palestinians to boycott the election. Islamic Jihad (Arabic: Harakat al-Jihad al-Islami) is a militant Islamist group based in the Syrian capital, Damascus. ...

Voting in East Jerusalem

On December 21, 2005, Israeli officials stated their intention to prevent voting in East Jerusalem, which, unlike most of the Palestinian-inhabited areas that are planned to participate in the election, is under Israeli civil and military control. (Israel annexed East Jerusalem in the wake of the Six-Day War; this move has not been recognized by most other governments, or by the PNA, which claims Jerusalem as a Palestinian capital.) Israel's stated motivation was not the argument about sovereignty over the area (Palestinain voters in East Jerusalem had been allowed to vote in previous PNA elections despite the dispute) but concern over Hamas' participation in -- and potential victory in -- the election. Mustafa Barghouti and Hanan Ashrawi were both briefly detained by Israeli police when they attempted to campaign in East Jerusalem. In response, PNA officials stated that the election would not be held if East Jerusalem voters could not participate [6] -- though this move was seen more as a pretext to postpone elections that Fatah might lose to Hamas than a debate over principle. However, on January 10, 2006, Israeli officials announced that a limited number of Palestinians in East Jerusalem would be able to cast votes at post offices, as they did in 1996. Palestinian candidates will also be allowed to campaign in East Jerusalem as long as they register with Israeli police -- and, a police spokesman noted, "Anyone who is a supporter of Hamas will not receive permission." [7] Israeli police closed at least three Hamas election offices in East Jerusalem during the campaign. [8] December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... East Jerusalem is that part of Jerusalem which was held by Jordan from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War until the Six-Day War in 1967. ... Annexation is the legal merging of some territory into another body. ... The Six-Day War (Hebrew: מלחמת ששת הימים transliteration: Milhemet Sheshet Hayamim), also known as the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Six Days War, or June War, was fought between Israel and its Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. ... Mustafa Barghouti (also often written Mustafa Barghouthi; born 1954) is a Palestinian democracy activist and a candidate for presidency of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005. ... Hanan Ashrawi Hanan Ashrawi (born 8 October 1946) is a Palestinian Anglican scholar who is well-known as one of the most articulate Palestinian spokespersons. ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Pre-election opinion polls

The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research polled 1,316 adults in the West bank and Gaza strip in early December 2005 on their voting intentions for the legislative poll, which indicated the following support:[9]

• Fatah: 50%
• Hamas: 32%
• Others: 9%
• Undecided: 9%

A second poll by PCPSR between 29 December - 31 December covered 4560 potential voters and gave the following results:[10] December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

• Fatah: 43%
• Change and Reform (Hamas): 25%
• Independent Palestine: 5%
• Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa: 3%
• The Alternative: 2%
• The Third Way: 2%
• Undecided: 19%

No other lists are expected to exceed the 2% threshold.

A poll from Palestinian Public Opinion Polls, conducted 5 January and 6 January, covering 1360 persons, shows a further move away from Fatah:[11] January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

• Fatah 39.3%
• Change and Reform (Hamas): 31.3%
• Independent Palestine: 10.4%
• Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa: 6.8%
• The Third Way: 5.5%

No other lists are expected to exceed the 2% threshold.

Conduct of the Poll

After polls closed, officials and observers called the vote "peaceful"; Edward McMillan-Scott, the British Conservative head of the European Parliament's monitoring team described the polls as "extremely professional, in line with international standards, free, transparent and without violence". His colleague, Italian Communist MEP Luisa Morgantini said there was "a very professional attitude, competence and respect for the rules." [12] All polling stations closed on time (7 p.m.) except for East Jerusalem, where voting was extended by the permitted two extra hours. Hamas protested this extension, claiming it only served Fatah; the Central Elections Committee stated that voting hours were "extended upon the approval of the Israeli authorities due to lengthy queues as a result of obstructions by post office workers." [13] Edward McMillan-Scott (born 1949) is a British politician, Member of the European Parliament for the Yorkshire and the Humber region for the Conservative Party. ... The new logo of the Conservative Party The Conservative Party is the largest centre right political party in the United Kingdom. ... The European Parliament is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ... Luisa Morgantini (born November 5, 1940 in Villadossola) is an Italian Member of the European Parliament. ...

Turnout

Turnout was reported by the Central Elections Commission as being 74.6% — 76.0% in the Gaza Strip and 73.1% in the West Bank.

Exit polls

Exit polls indicated that Fatah emerged with more seats than Hamas, but not a majority of PLC seats. A poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research estimated that Fatah had won 42 percent of the national vote and Hamas 35 percent; the margin of error was 4 percent. Another exit poll, conducted by Birzeit University, largely viewed as the most authoritative estimation, had Fatah with 46.4 percent of the vote and Hamas with 39.5 percent; their tentative prediction of seat allocation had Fatah with 63 seats, four short of a majority; Hamas 58; the Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa list 3; The Third Way 2; Independent Palestine 2; The Alternative 2; and two independents [14]. Graduation at Birzeit Birzeit University is a Palestinian university situated in the town of Bir Zeit near Ramallah. ...

Leaders from both Hamas and Fatah, however, announced on Thursday morning that Hamas was expected to win a majority. Ismail Haniya, who topped the Change and Reform list claimed "Hamas has won more than 70 seats in Gaza and the West Bank". [15]. Another Hamas leader, Musheer al-Masri claimed the party expected to win 77 seats. [16] Aljazeera reported Fatah officials conceding defeat. Prime minister Ahmed Qurei resigned on Thursday morning, along with his cabinet, saying it now fell to Hamas to form a government.[17][18]. Hamas leader al-Masri called for a "political partnership" with Fatah, but prominent Fatah leader, Jibril al-Rajoub, rejected a coalition and called on Fatah to form a "responsible opposition". Ismail Haniya, a senior Hamas political leader, was slated to become the new Palestinian Prime Minister after Hamas won the January 26, 2006 legislative election in West Bank and the Gaza Strip. ... Al Jazeera logo Al Jazeera (الجزيرة), meaning The Island or The (Arabian) Peninsula (whence also Algiers) is an Arabic television channel based in Qatar. ... Ahmed Qureia, AKA Abu Alaa Ahmed Ali Mohammed Qurei (or Qureia; أحمد علي محمد قريع), also known as Abu Alaa (أبو علاء) (born March 26, 1937) is prime minister of the Palestinian Authority. ...

Final results

The Central Elections Commission released the final results on sunday, and announced that Hamas had won 74 of the 132 seats, while Fatah trailed with 45. [19]

According to the results, Hamas won the large majority of the constituency seats but was more narrowly ahead on the lists. Fatah did beat Hamas in the constituencies in Qalqilya, Rafah, and Jericho. Jenin was split evenly, and Fatah won the seats reserved for Christians in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Ramallah.

January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Palestinian Legislative Council, the legislature of the Palestinian Authority, is a unicameral body with 88 members, elected from 16 electoral districts in the West Bank and Gaza. ... Wikinews has news related to this article: Hamas wins Palestinian election The Hamas emblem shows two crossed swords, the Dome of the Rock, and a map of the land claimed as Palestine (roughly, present-day Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip). ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) (Arabic الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين - al-jabhah al-sha`biyyah li-tahrīr filastīn) is a Marxist-Leninist, nationalist Palestinian political and military organization, founded in 1967. ... The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (Arabic: الجبهة الديموقراطية لتحرير فلسطين, transliterated Al-Jabhah al-Dimuqratiyah Li-Tahrir Filastin) is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist political and military organization. ... Palestinian Peoples Party (Hizb Al Shaab) - PPP, is a socialist party in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. ... FIDA symbol The Palestine Democratic Union (Al-Ittihad al-Dimuqrati al-Filastini, generally known as FIDA) is a small Palestinian political party active in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). ... Mustafa Barghouti (also often written Mustafa Barghouthi; born 1954) is a Palestinian democracy activist and a candidate for presidency of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005. ... ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Palestine's Central Elections Commission website
  • Electoral system explained
  • Map of final turnout
  • Election arrangements in East Jerusalem
• Reuters article on election results
• Map of election districts (from the NY Times)
• BBC article on the polls
• Electronic Intifada on the election, with constituency results