CINA

Candidates were banned from campaigning today for a cooling-off period before the election.

But the murder raised doubts about the latest pledges by armed groups in the West Bank and Gaza not to commit violence during the vote.

Opinion polls have shown Fatah and Hamas in a close race ahead of the election and both sides have said they might form a coalition government.

The run-up to the voting has been marred by violence, including militants taking over government offices and threatening election workers. Much of the unrest has been carried out by gunmen linked to Fatah, apparently fearing losses to Hamas. Fatah has also been afflicted by internal divisions.

Today Fatah gunmen shot to death Abu Ahmed Hassouna, 44, a party leader in Nablus after he told them to stop shooting at campaign posters on his house, relatives said. It was the second politically motivated killing of the campaign. After today's murder, around 1,000 people marched to the main police station in Nablus to protest, giving the police chief a letter demanding an end to lawlessness.

"Enough, enough. We want the police to protect us," the crowd shouted. Dozens of gunmen later blocked a main road and shopkeepers shut down their stores in protest. Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas candidate in northern Gaza, said the Islamist group expects to become the largest party in parliament. But it will not try to form a government alone, instead seeking a partnership with Fatah or other parties, he said.

Senior Hamas leaders recently spoke with the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, of Fatah, to discuss the elections and their aftermath, Mr Masri said.

Meanwhile today, Mr Abbas called on all Palestinians to exercise their right to vote. "The election is a right and duty at the same time, and I hope that the results of this election will reflect honestly the Palestinian people's opinions," he said in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Thousands of Palestinian security personnel, who voted early, fanned out across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to protect the polling stations.

More than 1,700 Israeli border police are being deployed to ensure order and the free movement of voters in the Jerusalem area during election day, a Jerusalem police spokesman said.

In Tulkarem, in the north-west of the West Bank, about 40 militants from Islamic Jihad - which is boycotting the vote - marched along main road to demand the release of prisoners from Palestinian jails and to ask residents to boycott the election. Many of the militants wore fake explosive belts and carried wooden sticks.

Palestinian police, claiming one of the passing protesters shot at their station, opened fire on the group, scattering the masked men. No one was hurt.

The violence has cast doubts on the fragmented militant factions' promises to maintain calm on election day. About 25 masked gunmen from various factions held a joint press conference in Gaza City today to announce they would be unarmed during the balloting.

Abu Obeida, a Hamas spokesman, said: "Everyone agreed to keep the election process moving in a smooth, clean and honest way in order to create the fundamental basis for a political partnership."

Abu Adham, a spokesman for the Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, said all groups want the elections to succeed, "and we have to contribute to protect it".

Hamas, known for its suicide bombings and calls for Israel's destruction, has emerged as a formidable political force, attracting voters with calls for clean government and an end to Fatah's corruption, while pointing to its own popular social and education programmes.

Hamas has said that if it wins a majority, it would form a coalition and take only low profile, service-related cabinet posts and let Mr Abbas deal with Israel.

Israeli officials have said they will not deal with Hamas until it disarms and renounces violence, a vow that could complicate hopes for restarting peace talks.

In a statement clearly aimed at Hamas, the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, said yesterday that Palestinian voters should bear in mind that terrorism is not a "pathway to peace".

"The United States won't change its policies toward Hamas," she said, implying the Bush administration would not work with a Palestinian government dominated by Hamas.

But she did not rule out cooperating with a government that had some Hamas ministers.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1693938,00.html

The Israeli('left-liberal') daily Haaretz wrote following article:

IDF: No policy yet toward PA government including Hamas

Ynet(Yedioth Ahronot) this:

Tensions high in Nablus

Washington Post reported this:

Palestinians Condemn U.S. Program

Today I will try to give as soon as possible updatings about the news from the 'battle field'...