Different clocks at Ramadan

Mideast running on different clocks at Ramadan

By KATARINA KRATOVAC, Associated Press Writer Thu Aug 28, 12:21 PM ET

CAIRO, Egypt - The start of the holy month of Ramadan next week is causing clock confusion in the Middle East. Egypt and the Palestinians are falling back an hour far earlier than usual, trying to reduce daylight hours for Muslims fasting until sunset in sweltering summer temperatures.

Politics is also adding a twist. The Palestinian militant group Hamas is ending daylight-saving time at midnight Thursday in the Gaza Strip, which it controls — while the West Bank, run by the rival Fatah faction, is waiting until midnight Sunday.

The Palestinians have traditionally changed their clocks at different times from Israel in a gesture of independence. Now for the first time, they're directing the gesture at each other, reflecting the rival claims for power in the more than year-old split between the Palestinian territories.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080828/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_ramadan_3