The two main contenders in next week’s Palestinian parliamentary elections — the ruling Fatah party and Hamas — pledged to avoid violence on voting day and work together afterward, but a Hamas leader ruled out peace talks with Israel. The no-violence pledge was a tacit admission by Fatah that Hamas will be a significant factor in the new parliament. Hamas, running for the first time, has been steadily gaining ground on Fatah in the polls — an indication of voter dissatisfaction with the ruling party over widespread corruption and inefficiency. Full Story