HEBRON : Student Struggle
Students at Hebron University in the Israeli-occupied West Bank vote today in a student council election that the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, will boycott in an attempt to demonstrate its strength. The pullout leaves the Fatah movement of the Palestine Liberation Organization as the winner by default.
The odd contest results from PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat’s determination to win Hebron back from Hamas, which swept the last four council elections. Arafat personally shaped Fatah’s election strategy, poured in tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds and on Monday spoke to an election rally by telephone from Tunis.
As most of the school’s 1,200 students shouted “Yes to the PLO! Yes to Fatah!” in response to Arafat’s call, Hamas supporters announced their boycott.
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