Abbas, meanwhile, is to travel to Washington next week for talks with US President George W. Bush, and violence could cloud the visit or even lead to its cancellation.
Abbas rang up two more small victories in internal politics on Thursday when Gaza courts ordered partial recounts in May 5 local elections in two locations where Hamas swept to victory -- the town of Beit Lahiya and the Bureij refugee camp. Hamas rejected the court rulings. Thousands of Hamas supporters in both places marched in protest, calling on the courts to let the original results stand. Earlier, a court ordered a partial revote in Rafah in the local election, seen as a harbinger for parliamentary balloting set for the summer.
In other news, Israel lifted its ban on Palestinians entering Israel from the northern West Bank, after the holiday weekend ended Saturday night. The army had kept the northern West Bank sealed off, saying militants in the area were planning an attack inside Israel.
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