Fatah election results confirm younger leadership

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The Palestinian movement "Fatah" has announced the official results of the vote for its main policy-making body. Younger, local leaders have replaced old-time revolutionaries, as the center of power in the movement.

Election committee head Ahmed Sayad announced the count results.

Younger leaders won 14 of the 19 seats.

These younger grassroots activists who grew up in the West Bank and Gaza will now have a stronger voice in the Fatah Central Committee.

But earlier on Wednesday, 11 Fatah leaders in Gaza resigned, saying the elections were "unfair and unclear."

Ahmed Nasser, a member of the higher committee of Fatah in Gaza, and failed candidate in the central committee election, said their votes went to other people and some candidates were elected twice, referring to manipulation and chaos.

The official vote count was delayed for about 30 hours.

Fatah is the main party of the Palestinian Authority. It was defeated by Hamas in 2006 elections. Hamas's efforts to form a coalition government failed and fierce gunfights erupted between the two rivals. Fatah now effectively rules only the West Bank and Hamas runs Gaza.