GAZA/RAMALLAH, Dec. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- The ruling Fatah movement led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has resumed its primaries in parts of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, sources in the movement said on Saturday.

    Primaries in late November were largely disrupted by some Fatah members complaining of electoral irregularities. About 8,000 Fatah members went to the ballots in Rafah in southern Gaza, where 34 candidates compete for six seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), said the sources.

    Meanwhile, Fatah has also resumed its primaries in Nablus, Tulkarm and Hebron, three West Bank cities, the sources said, adding new vandalism caused temporary halt again in the polling. In Salfit, a town south of Nablus, the voting was suspended again after protestors complained irregularities in registration and voting procedures.

    In Tulkarm, officials said primaries were held up for two hours, but resumed later after a problem with the registration of acandidate was resolved.

    The polling continued in Hebron despite of low turnout in the divided city co-inhabited by Jewish settlers and Palestinians, local officials said.

    Fatah launched its primaries in late November in the Palestinian territories, including east Jerusalem, to choose candidates to run in the upcoming legislative elections due on Jan.25, 2006.

    However, the primaries in the Gaza Strip were suspended on Nov.29 after some discontented militants broke into several voting stations in Deir el Ballah, Khan Younis and Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip, claiming irregularities during the election process. Primaries have so far been held in Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, east Jerusalem, Toubas and Jericho despite of claims of fraud and other violations.

    The Fatah Central Committee and Abbas have indicated that they will present the Fatah list for the January elections after all the districts complete their primaries.

    Registration for the parliamentary ballot kicked off on Saturday and the long-dominant Fatah has met with a grave challenge from the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) which will participate the elections for the first time in its history. Enditem