(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, said the Movement does not care about threats and pressure campaigns aiming at hindering and cancelling local elections. Hamas insisted on carrying on with efforts for making elections succeed in order to serve the Palestinian people.
In a statement on Saturday, Hamas disclosed its documentation of violations carried out during the nomination and registration periods. The Movement called on all competent authorities especially the electoral committee to take required action to treat those violations and make sure that elections run appropriately and based on integrity.
The statement underlined that pressure campaigns unfortunately affected the number of registered lists competing with Fatah Movement. And, many lists withdrew from elections in different provinces of the West Bank, it added.
In addition to the Palestinian Authority's (PA) threats, Israeli authorities threatened and summoned list leaders and candidates especially in al-Khalil. This made some lists supported by Hamas opt not to participate.
Hamas announced that the Movement will back up the most professional lists which were affected by threats and will officially announce the lists to support in those areas.
Many of the PA violations against independent candidates or candidates affiliated with Hamas were documented by the Movement. The violations varied between direct and indirect threats in addition to pressure practiced by Israeli intelligence agents through direct calls with candidates ordering them not to continue registration procedures.
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