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Another "Hudna"?
(Jerusalem Post) - Khaled Abu Toameh Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei believes Hamas and Islamic Jihad are eager for a deal that eases the pressure on the groups' leaders; over the past four months, the majority of leaders in the Gaza Strip have gone underground. "Their normal life has been severely disrupted," notes a veteran Palestinian journalist in Gaza City. "They have been forced to leave their homes....Life for them has become intolerable." Qurei's ambitious plans include elections in the West Bank and Gaza in July 2004. However, many in the Palestinian leadership are opposed to holding elections. Apart from the possibility that elections could exacerbate feudal and factional tensions, many legislators and mayors are comfortable with the status quo. "He's a serious man with good intentions," remarked a legislator from Ramallah. "But I can't believe that he's so naive as to believe he would be able to eliminate corruption as long as Arafat and his cronies are around. In fact, Abu Ala [Qurei] is himself one of these cronies."