Palestinians prepare for parliament election

The race between the Fatah Party and Hamas is too close to call.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- Thousands of police guarded ballot boxes Tuesday and rival militants pledged not to disrupt voting on the eve of the first Palestinian parliament election in a decade -- a cliffhanger vote on whether to pursue peace or confrontation with Israel.
The battle between the ruling Fatah Party and its Islamic Hamas rival was sure to tilt the balance of a Middle East torn between reform and traditionalism. But concerns over lawlessness, corruption and unemployment also weighed on voters' minds.
Some undecided voters said they want to punish Fatah for years of mismanagement, but fear Hamas will usher in an Islamic theocracy.
"We hope to see change in the Palestinian Authority, that those who were stealing money will be replaced ... and to have peace with Israel," said Jaber Saadeh, a 50-year-old unemployed construction worker who since the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising in 2000 has been living on a $150-a-month handout from a U.N. aid agency.
The Palestinians are at a crossroads, said pollster Nader Said. "For the Palestinians, the whole national agenda is on the table," he said. "Do they want continuity or do they want change?"
Close race
Hamas predicted victory, but pollsters said the race was too close to call, especially with many wild cards in play, including possible violence. Rain forecast for today could give an edge to Hamas with its ideologically more committed electorate.
Despite the fierce rivalry, Hamas and Fatah signaled they are ready to work together. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has spoken to Hamas leaders about possible cooperation after the election, said Hamas spokesman and parliament candidate Mushir al-Masri.
"We could find common ground," said al-Masri, sitting in a green campaign tent in the town of Beit Lahiya in Gaza.
Hamas is expected to ask for service ministries -- health, education and welfare -- and to leave diplomacy, including contacts with Israel, to others. Hamas, which has long ruled out negotiations with Israel, has signaled some flexibility on the issue recently, but may not be ready for a dramatic shift of positions.
Fatah also said it expects to win; Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Shaath predicted Fatah would get more than half the 132 parliament seats. If forced to form a coalition, the party prefers to govern with smaller parties and would invite Hamas only if it has no choice.
Former Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan, a leading Fatah candidate, said he's not opposed to bringing Hamas into the government. "Hamas can't behave like an opposition [party] if it's in the PNA," Dahlan told the British Broadcasting Corp., referring to the Palestinian government.
Against Hamas
Israel has said it would not deal with Hamas politicians, and the United States and Europe have said some foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority would be in jeopardy if Hamas joins the government.
Israel's acting prime minister, Ehud Olmert, said he hoped Palestinians would not "choose again the extremists who have led them from tragedy to tragedy and to sorrowful lives."
Many in Fatah said that despite the risks of losing power, the election will finally gauge Hamas' strength and force it to assume responsibility. "We want to face the boogeyman," Fatah voter Rafik Abu Mariam said of Hamas.
Today's election marks the first time Palestinians have a clear choice between two political camps -- Hamas boycotted the 1996 vote -- and pollsters predicted a turnout of more than 75 percent of the 1.3 million eligible voters.
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