Hamas set to make gains in Palestinian vote

PALESTINIANS voted for local governments in dozens of towns and villages across the West Bank and Gaza Strip yesterday — a contest that is expected to boost the Islamic militant group Hamas and could foreshadow results of parliamentary elections in July.

The ruling Fatah party, plagued by allegations of corruption after 10 years in power, is increasingly concerned Hamas will rout it in local voting and in the national election in the summer.

Yesterday's vote is the third and largest round of municipal elections since December. Some 2,500 candidates from Hamas, Fatah and independent lists were competing for 906 local council seats in 84 communities, including the major towns of Bethlehem and Qalqiliya in the West Bank, and Rafah in Gaza.