Palestinian gunmen storm Gaza election office

About two dozen masked Palestinian gunmen today took over election offices in the Gaza town of Khan Younis, trying to prevent the ruling Fatah party from registering a new list of candidates for January parliamentary elections.

Gunmen had also surrounded an election office in the town of Rafah, and were trying to enter it.

Palestinian police were so far successful in preventing the armed group from entering the building, witnesses said.

Gunmen in Gaza and parts of the West Bank repeatedly take over government buildings and election offices, demanding jobs and changes to election policies ahead of a January parliamentary vote.

The stand-offs – which occur almost daily – are a sign of the lawlessness plaguing Palestinian areas.

The gunmen are loyal to imprisoned uprising leader Marwan Barghouti and oppose the inclusion of Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and Cabinet minister Nabil Shaath on the candidates’ list.