"Hamas wants to develop a major resistance project tackling all walks of life in the occupied Palestinian territories," Zahar said.

GAZA, November 21, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Hamas is seeking to gain a foothold in the Palestinian political fray and acquire a political legitimacy by taking part in the January legislative elections, a Hamas leader revealed.

"Hamas is working to acquire a political legitimacy after it gained popularity for unabated resistance against the Israeli occupation," Mahmud Al-Zahar told IslamOnline.net Sunday, November 20.

The resistance group is planning to run for the January parliamentary polls, only the second ever ballot of its kind in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Hamas is widely expected to make a strong showing in the legislative polls at the expense of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' mainstream Fatah movement.

"Hamas wants to develop a major resistance project tackling all walks of life in the occupied Palestinian territories such as politics, economy, tourism, investment, etc," Zahar said.

Zahar said the resistance group will craft new programs aimed for changing the image of life in the territories.

"Hamas seeks to serve interests of Palestinians in a new style that renders positive fruits to the Palestinian people."

Zahar said the resistance group is determined to continue its aspired-for role in the Palestinian territories, regardless of Israeli and US objections.

"Hamas acquired a foothold in the Palestinian street, not by the US and Israeli approval, but by its efforts and stances in serving the best interest of the Palestinian people."

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon repeated his oft-stated position that Israel could not facilitate the parliamentary elections so long as Hamas takes part.

On November 9, Zahar said that the resistance group was prepared to consider talks with Israel after the January Palestinian legislative elections.

"Negotiations are not our intention, negotiation is a method," he said in a rare interview with Israeli radio.

Pundits have said that the Israeli military escalation in the Gaza Strip in September and October was aimed at provoking Hamas into attacking Israeli targets and eventually undermining its participation in the elections.

On the possibilities of taking part in a coalition government with the Palestinian Authority's (PA) Fatah in case of scoring high in the polls, Zahar left the door open for all options, dodging a direct answer.

"It doesn't matter to join the government or not. What matters is to carry out Hamas program, but if we failed, we would remain in the opposition."

Zahar expressed concerns over news that the PA intends to draft a new election law on adopting the relative slates system.

The current Palestinian election system is based on system of relative slates and individual constituencies.

"The problem lies in the new laws drafted by the Palestinian Authority," he said, adding that the resistance group will reconsider its stance if the news proved true.

Hamas, which saw its popularity soaring during more than four years of the Al-Aqsa Intifada, entered electoral politics for the first time at the end of 2004.

It also secured a landslide victory over Fatah in the first-ever Gaza Strip council elections in January.