Hamas rejects proposal to postpone elections

Hamas has rejected a proposal by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to postpone parliamentary elections until the end of the year in exchange for Cabinet posts, a senior official in the Islamic militant group said today.

Hamas, the largest opposition group, is expected to do well in the elections set for July 17, while Abbas fears his Fatah movement will be punished by voters for a decade of corruption and mismanagement in the Palestinian Authority.