THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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CAIRO, Egypt - The start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan next week tends to cause a little clock confusion in the Middle East.

Both Egypt and the Palestinian territories move their clocks back an hour during the month. The idea is to reduce the number of daylight hours for observant Muslims, who must fast until sunset in sweltering summer temperatures.

But this year, politics is adding a twist to the clock complications.

In the Palestinian territories, Hamas is joining Egypt in ending daylight savings time at midnight Thursday in the area it controls - the Gaza Strip.

The rival Fatah faction, which controls the West Bank, is waiting until midnight Sunday. A spokesman claims Hamas is just trying to show it is different, adding that the West Bank is waiting until Sunday because Ramadan is not expected to begin until Monday.