Sharon Threatens to Curb Hamas’ Activities During Elections

JERUSALEM, 8 November 2005 — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon threatened yesterday to hinder the movement of Hamas officials during voting in a Palestinian legislative election in which the militant faction is participating for the first time.

Speaking to a parliamentary committee, Sharon repeated Israel’s opposition to Hamas running in the January poll unless the group, dedicated to the Jewish state’s destruction, disarmed, said an official who briefed reporters on the session.

“We will do whatever is possible to impose difficulties on the movement of Hamas members on election day,” the official quoted Sharon as saying.

But Sharon stopped short of any threat to disrupt the elections as a whole, and the official did not elaborate on any specific action against Hamas the prime minister may have discussed with the committee.

Despite periodic surges of violence Israel, which has a string of military roadblocks in the occupied West Bank and quit the Gaza Strip nearly two months ago, has largely scaled back attacks on Hamas activists since the group agreed in March to a “period of calm” until year’s end.

But Sharon, repeating remarks he first made during a visit to New York in September to attend the UN General Assembly, said Israel could not prevent Palestinians from holding the ballot, which he termed an internal affair.

In his comments two months ago, Sharon said Israel “will make every effort not to help” the Palestinians hold their second-ever parliamentary election, raising concern that Israeli forces might try to hinder voting.

Since then — and in the face of US remarks that it was up to the Palestinians to decide who could take part in the poll — officials from Sharon’s office have insisted Israel would not disrupt balloting.

In the Gaza Strip, Hamas spokesman Mushir Al-Masri said Sharon had already tried to prevent Hamas from taking part in the polls by arresting some of its candidates in the West Bank.

“It seems that Sharon wants a (Palestinian) democracy which he creates through dictation and intimidation. Hamas will take part in the forthcoming election despite the arrests and raids,” Masri said, commenting on the Israeli leader’s latest remarks.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has resisted US and Israeli calls to disarm militants, hopes to co-opt them into the Palestinian security forces and mainstream politics after more than five years of Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed.