"There are difficult missions waiting for us on how to build our state and how to find dignity for our people and our militants," said Abbas.  (Xinhua/AFP photo)

    BEIJING, Jan.11 -- The overwhelming victory of Mahmoud Abbas in the Palestinian election to choose Yasser Arafat's successor raised hopes for peace yesterday after years of bloodshed.

    The Palestinian Central Elections Committee announced yesterday afternoon that chief of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee Mahmoud Abbas won Sunday's presidential elections by gaining 62.32 per cent of the votes.

    "There are difficult missions waiting for us on how to build our state and how to find dignity for our people and our militants," said Abbas.

    Abbas, 69, also known as Abu Mazen, was the candidate of the mainstream Fatah Movement and PLO chief.

    Some 70 per cent of the 1.8 million eligible voters in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem turned out for the election, the first of its kind since 1996.

    Turnout looked healthy, strengthening Abbas' mandate for change after Arafat's death on November 11.

    Abbas is due to be sworn in today, officials said. The closest of six other candidates was Mustafa Barghouthi with 19.8 per cent of the vote.

    Most of those who voted for Abbas said they chose him for what he promised the Palestinians and what he would do in the coming short and long terms. However, they admitted that there were many difficulties and challenges waiting for him.

    One of the major challenges Abbas would face is the continuation of attacks carried out by Palestinian militants against Israel and Jewish settlements. He has to know how to deal with the Israeli justifications to assassinate militants and destroy houses, said local analysts.

    Mahmoud Khalifa, a Palestinian researcher, said daily military incursions and air strikes by Israel to assassinate militants would shatter the Palestinian people's hope.

    Both Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Jihad Movement (Holy War), who boycotted the election, announced yesterday that they would deal with the newly elected leader.

    Jimmy Carter, former US president and head of the international observers including a group from China, yesterday said Abbas' winning will open the way for a possible revival of the Middle East peace process.

    "Abbas' election as the new Palestinian leader is a step on the road to help the Palestinians live in peace with the Israelis as friends and neighbours," he said.

    Veteran Israeli peacemaker Shimon Peres told Israeli Army Radio yesterday: "A moderate man was elected, an intelligent man, an experienced man. Let's give him a chance."

    Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the United States and other countries have sent Abbas congratulations.

    (Source: China Daily)