Palestinian parliamentary elections are scheduled for January 26th, 2006. There are increasing signs that the elections will not be held on schedule. "If the election is put off yet again (the latest postponement was this past July), the current council, elected nearly 10 years ago, will continue to serve. It fails to reflect the considerable political changes that have taken place since then."
Hamas has backed hundreds of candidates in the ongoing municipal elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and has taken nearly a third of the seats. They will likely increase their number of seats in the upcoming elections. "[T]he participation or otherwise of Hamas in Palestinian legislative elections presents Abbas and the PA with a real dilemma. On the one hand, the exclusion of Hamas would eviscerate the elections of credibility and democratic substance. Palestinians would view the poll as a big joke. On the other hand, Hamas's participation could result in victory for Islamic candidates and drastically change the Palestinian political panorama." Sharon has warned that Israel will prevent the organisation of the January elections if the PA failed to disarm Hamas and get it to "abandon its anti-Zionist ideology". "We will make every effort not to help the Palestinians. I don't think they can have elections without our help," Sharon was quoted as telling reporters.
New Israeli incitement campaign against Hamas | Under Israeli Fire, Palestinians Vote in Local Polls | US softens opposition to Hamas role | Hamas parliamentary candidates arrested

For the first time since the start of the intifada, more Palestinians have been killed in internal violence since the start of the year than those who have died in clashes with Israel, according to an official report published Thursday. The Israel Defense Forces has advised the government to release additional Palestinian prisoners, in an effort to strengthen Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

With Israel constantly narrowing the horizons with roadblocks, mass arrests and separation walls, Palestinians this week were closer than ever to a point of implosion. In Gaza, a fortnight of accumulating tension between the PA and Hamas culminated in street clashes between the two sides, resulting in the deaths of three people. Both Hamas and the PA gave contradictory accounts of the Sunday night incident. Hamas accused PA police of having beaten Muhammed Rantisi, son of the late Hamas leader Abdul-Aziz Rantisi who was murdered by Israel over two years ago. The PA had an entirely different version. Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfik Abu Khusa said a routine patrol tried to resolve a scuffle between two citizens at an ATM machine. One of the two was Rantisi, who, the PA statement said, called upon Hamas supporters and fighters to come to his aid.
- Al-Ahram Weekly October 6th 2005

Armed groups join to denounce internal fighting | US, Israel provoking tensions | New group claims Hamas kidnapping | Israel mulls letting PA buy arms | PA police death in clash with Hamas | Fatah gunmen shoot senior Palestinian official