Gunmen affiliated with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' ruling Fatah Party stormed four election offices in the West Bank and Gaza Strip further contributing to the atmosphere of instability surrounding the PA. Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place in the West Bank and Gaza Strip next month.
In Gaza City, dozens of masked gunmen entered an election office to protest the choice of candidates Fatah leadership planned to enter into the election. They fired shots into the air and later took control of the building, storming the roof and locking the door. Eventually, the gunmen did leave.
Similar incidents were reported in two other election offices in the Gaza Strip and one in the West Bank city of Nablus where the gunmen stole a computer and a television set. No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.
'This is a peaceful step to protest the policy of appointments within Fatah,' Abu Eyad, a spokesman for the gunmen, claimed in a statement to Reuters.
Amar Dwik, the chief Palestinian election official, ordered all of the offices closed as a result of the incidents. Wednesday is the deadline for parties to submit their slate of candidates for the elections, scheduled to take place on January 25.
Mr. Abbas released a statement asking PA security forces to 'take the necessary measures to arrest the perpetrators.'
PA elections were originally scheduled for last July but Abbas postponed them until January for fear that Hamas would make too strong a showing. Abbas insists that the elections will go forward as scheduled next month despite continued rumors that they will be postponed again.
