英语文摘:Abbas' Fatah Party congress elects new leadership, results on Sunday

RAMALLAH/GAZA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party congress, held in the West Bank city of Ramallah, voted on Saturday to elect new leadership, and the results will be declared on Sunday, officials said.

Mahmoud Abu al-Heija, the congress spokesman, said that after the ballots were closed, the elections committee started counting the votes and will declare who are the new members of the central committee and the revolutionary council on Sunday.

"After declaring the final results, President Abbas will meet with the new elected members," said Abu al-Heija.

On Saturday, Abbas, who was re-elected as Fatah chairman, said Fatah Party elections went smoothly.

"I believe this is a national festival and I hope those who win will do their duties towards their people and their Palestinian cause," Abbas told reporters in Ramallah.

Abu al-Heija earlier said that 64 Fatah members are racing for 18 central committee membership, and 423 Fatah members for 85 revolutionary council membership.

The five-day Fatah congress kicked of on Tuesday, where 1,320 members out of 1,411 were able to attend the congress that was held at Abbas headquarters in the city.

It is the second congress for the party that is held in the Palestinian territories since the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in 1994.

The first congress was held in 2009 in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.