Palestine Today 111209

The Palestinian elections committee cancels the upcoming elections as Israeli attacks are reported across the West Bank. These stories and more coming up stay tuned.

News Cast

Dr. Hanna Nasser, Director of the Central Election Committee, told reporters at a press conference in the central West Bank city of Ramallah Thursday that the elections committee is not capable to carry out the general elections in January 2010.

Nasser said the reason behind this decision is Hamas' refusal to allow the elections committee to work in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree in October instructing the Central Election Committee to hold elections in January 2010, after the Hamas movement refused last month to sign an Egyptian mediated document for National unity deal.

Hamas and Abbas' Fatah party have been at odds since Hamas won the parliamentary elections on January 2006, and escalated after Hamas took over control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, after several rounds of bloody infighting.

Hamas refused Abbas' call for elections by January of 2010 and said it will boycott it adding that it will not allow it to happen in the Gaza Strip. The movement announced that unity deal between Palestinian factions is a prerequisite to holding general elections in Palestine.

In other News, a number of Israeli military attacks were reported across the West Bank on Thursday.

Local media sources reported military invasions in Hebron, southern west Bank as well as Jenin and Nablus in the north, two civilians were also kidnapped at a military checkpoint in central West Bank.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org. This report has been brought to you by Ghassan Bannoura.