The Palestinian Islamic group Hamas has announced its intention to compete in upcoming Palestinian legislative elections, scheduled for July.
The announcement at a news conference in the West Bank meant that Hamas, a group sworn to Israel's destruction, would field candidates in a legislative election scheduled for July 17 to replace the Palestinian parliament chosen in a 1996 ballot.
"Hamas ... has decided to participate in the upcoming Palestinian legislative elections on the basis of sticking to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and protecting the program of resistance as a strategic choice until the occupation is swept away," said Mohammed Ghazal, a Hamas leader in the West Bank, reading a statement from the group.
Hamas, widely popular in the Palestinian territories, had previously boycotted Palestinian Authority elections because of its opposition to the 1993 interim Oslo peace accords that mandated the ballots.
But leaders of Hamas have shown interest in having a greater voice in Palestinian government, especially following the group's strong showing in municipal elections earlier this year.
Hamas won 30 percent of all seats in the local elections in the West Bank and a majority of seats in the Gaza Strip.
Its decision to compete in the election for the Palestinian Legislative Council is seen by Palestinian analysts as a sign that Hamas is ready to join the political mainstream and may ultimately lead to changes in some of its positions.
Hamas recently agreed to abide by a de facto ceasefire called by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as a first step toward renewing deadlocked peace negotiations with Israel.