Polls close after huge Palestinians turn-out

HUNDREDS of thousands of Palestinians flooded polling stations yesterday to cast ballots in their first parliamentary election in a decade.

It was a watershed vote that will bring Islamic militants into the political fold and set Palestinians on a course of negotiation or confrontation with Israel.The Palestinians' first truly competitive election helped cement democracy in the post-Yasser Arafat era, but it was also likely to give unprecedented power to Hamas, the Islamic party that calls for Israel's destruction.

Hamas activists fanned out across neighbourhoods in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in a highly organised get-out-the-vote effort likely to aide its challenge to Fatah, which is reeling from corruption allegations after running the Palestinian Authority for 12 years.

Pre-election polls showed the two parties almost in a dead heat in the race for the 132 parliament seats, and a post-election coalition - either between Hamas and Fatah or with some of the nine other parties running - was expected.

Long lines formed at polling stations and by 4pm local time, 57.6% of 1.3 million eligible voters had cast ballots.

Polls closed at 7pm (5pm Irish time) and exit polls were expected in about two hours. Official results were expected late last night or this morning.

Hamas' success has alarmed Israel and the West, but Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas argued that luring the group, responsible for dozens of deadly attacks on Israel, into politics would tame it and increase the chances for peace.

The election will usher in a new parliament and Cabinet, but Abbas, who was elected last year, will remain head of the Palestinian Authority regardless of the results.

Palestinians were given the day off to vote and the election was held in a celebratory atmosphere that was rare in the recent years of fighting with Israel.Some activists covered their cars with red carnations, as if for a wedding, and others blasted campaign songs from car stereos and storefront speakers.

Campaign posters hung on nearly every wall, dangled from electric lines over the street and were plastered to the hoods of passing cars. Some children ran through the streets wearing the green flag of Hamas as a cape. Others wore the black-and-white chequered scarf of Fatah.

Some 13,500 police officers guarded the 1,008 polling stations to prevent gunmen from disrupting the vote, and there were no reports of major violence. In the West Bank's Balata refugee camp, militants who had threatened to burn down polling stations checked their assault rifles at the door with a flourish and peacefully voted.