An exit poll by Beir Zeit University in the West Bank showed that the ruling Fatah movement won 63 seats and the radical Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) won 58 seats in yesterday's election to choose a new 132-seat Palestinian Legislative Council.

 

Nadder Saed, head of the Development Center at Beir Zeit University, told a news conference that Fatah received 46 percent of the votes and Hamas gained 39 percent in the first parliamentary election in a decade, according to the exit poll. Other smaller parties won all together 15 percent of votes, Saed said.

 

The Central Election Committee said that official results will be available in 24 hours.

 

Right after the exit poll results were announced, dozens of Fatah supporters took to the streets, firing in the air and blowing car horns to celebrate Fatah's lead in the race.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 26, 2006)