Mahmud Abbas, the PLO chairman, celebrates with supporters after proclaiming victory in the Palestinian presidential election. Abbas dedicated the result to his late predecessor Yasser Arafat, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Jan. 9. Abbas won 66 percent of the votes, leading his nearest rival by some 46 percent. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Mahmoud Abbas (1st L) is greeted by his supporter in the west bank city of Ramallah, Jan. 9. Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization and candidate of the mainstream Fatah faction, won some 66 percent of votes in the election which ended at 9 p.m. local time. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

Fatah militants celebrate Mahmoud Abbas's victory in the in the Palestinian presidential elections, in the Gaza city, late at the night of Jan. 9. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Fatah militants fired into the air to celebrate Abbas's victory in the Gaza city. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

    Addressing a rally of his Fatah supporters, Abbas has proclaimed victory in the election, the first since 1996.

    "We offer this victory to the soul of brother Yasser Arafat," Abbas told the jubilant rally. "We also dedicate it to all the martyrs and wounded and prisoners behind (Israeli) bars," he said.

    He also told the crowd that he was facing hard tasks ahead. "There are difficult missions waiting for us on how to build our state and how to find dignity to our people and our militants," said Abbas.

    Abbas, 69, also known as Abu Mazen, is the candidate of the mainstream Fatah movement. As the chief of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee, he is regarded widely as a relatively moderate member among the Palestinian leadership.

    According to the exit polls conducted by the Palestinian Centerfor Policy and Survey Research, Abbas won 66.3 percent of the votes, while his main competitor, independent candidate Mustafa Barghouti, netted 19.7 percent.

    Meanwhile, another poll, conducted by Bir Zeit University, gave66.2 percent to Abbas and 18 percent to Barghouti.

    The voting, started at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and closed at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT), two hours behind schedule, attracted about 65 percent of the 1.8 million eligible voters in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem to choose a successor to late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat who died at a French hospital on Nov. 11 last year.

    Seven candidates raced for the post, and the final result is expected to be announced by the Central Election Committee on Monday.

    Shortly after the polling stations closed, thousands of Abbas' supporters took to the streets, waving Palestinian national flags and pictures of Arafat and Abbas.

    PALESTINIAN PM TO RESIGN

    Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei said Sunday that he willresign after the new PNA chairman emerged from Sunday's election.

    "Under the law, the prime minister and his government should resign after a new chairman is elected in order to enable the chairman to choose a new prime minister who will be authorized to form a new government," Qurei told Xinhua in an interview.

    Qurei highly praised Sunday's election, saying it "represents avictory for the Palestinian democracy and manifests the Palestinian people deserve an independent state like other peoplesall over the world."

    "No matter who wins in the democratic election, he would represent the Palestinian people," said Qurei, calling on the international community to oblige the Israeli government to implement the peace agreements.

    He also urged Israel to return immediately to the negotiating table.

    Abbas had said earlier that if he wins, he will ask Qurei to form a government.

    BUSH VOWS TO HELP PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

    US President George W. Bush praised Sunday's election as a "historic day for the Palestinian people" and vowed to help them.

    In a statement issued two hours after the end of the voting, Bush said the election, together with the parliamentary elections scheduled for months later, "are essential for the establishment of a sovereign, independent, viable, democratic, and peaceful Palestinian state that can live alongside a safe and secure Israel."

    "The United States stands ready to help the Palestinian people realize their aspirations," Bush said.

    Warning critical tasks for the new Palestinian government, Bushsaid the United States looks forward to working with new Palestinian leaders and the Palestinian people to address these challenges and to advance the cause of Middle East peace. Enditem