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Fatah acting to stall PA parliamentary elections in July
Ha'aretz 1/30/2005
Senior Fatah officials are acting to put off parliamentary elections in the Palestinian Authority in July, following the Hamas victory in municipal elections in the Gaza Strip last Thursday. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia convened a meeting in his Abu Dis office on Friday, when the extent of Fatah's defeat to Hamas became apparent. Officials suggested postponing the parliamentary elections for fear of another quashing defeat. Palestinian sources said PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who is visiting Egypt, called during the meeting to receive an update on the results.
Hamas wins Gaza elections
AlJazeera 1/28/2005
Hamas has won Gaza municipal elections as a Palestinian minister warns if Israeli occupation continues, then violence in the region will soon return. Speaking on Friday Ghassan al-Khatib, Palestinian Labour Minister, told Aljazeera: "We have to remember that violence is a result of the conflict, but not a reason for it. If the Israeli occupation continues, the violent conflict will then return."...Hamas won seats in seven of the 10 councils in the first-ever municipal elections held in the Gaza Strip; including seats in the three largest councils...
Hamas vows anti-corruption drive as Gaza tastes local democracy
Daily Star 1/27/2005
Upcoming municipal vote first barometer of group's electoral strength - Hamas is hoping disillusioned voters will turn away from Abbas -- GAZA CITY: The radical Islamist group Hamas will make its first major foray into the Palestinian political process Thursday when it takes part in local elections in its Gaza stronghold on an anti-corruption ticket. New Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas is trying to persuade both Hamas and its smaller rival, Islamic Jihad, to end their campaign of anti-Israeli attacks by joining the political mainstream.
Abu-Amr: Hamas to Compete in Coming Legislative Elections
International Middle East Media Center 1/24/2005
Palestinian legislator Ziad Abu-Amr said Sunday that Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) would take part in the slated for July legislative elections. Hamas and Islamic Jihad boycotted the January 9 presidential elections, while PFLP refrained from presenting a candidate, but announced support to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s major competitor Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi.
46 Palestinian Election Officials Resign
Washington Post 1/15/2005
RAMALLAH, West Bank - Forty-six members of the Palestinian election commission, including top managers, resigned Saturday, saying they were pressured by Mahmoud Abbas' campaign and intelligence officials to abruptly change voting procedures during the Jan. 9 presidential poll. Two senior members of the commission, Ammar Dwaik and Baha al-Bakri, resigned early Saturday, and officials later said 44 more members resigned. Six top election officials were among those who resigned.
Election Irregularities: CEC unable to respond to Barghouthi campaign formal complaint
Electronic Intifada 1/16/2005
Press Release, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi Campaign -- Palestinian Central Election Commission unable to respond to Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi's formal complaint of last-minute illegal changes in Palestinian presidential election regulations.Forty-six members of the Palestinian Election Commission resign protesting the pressures and threats leading to these violations.On January 15 2005, forty-six Palestinian Election Commission staff members resigned in protest of pressures placed on the Commission to abruptly change voting procedures during the January 9th 2005 presidential poll. Such pressures were allegedly exerted upon the Commission by Mahmoud Abbas's campaign and intelligence officials, forcing the Commission to change the regulations under duress. These changes led to a decrease in the percentage of votes for Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi and an increase for Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazin).
Two PA Election Officials Resign Over Forced Election Irregularities
International Middle East Media Center 1/15/2005
Ammar Dwaik and Baha al-Bakri, members of the Palestinian election committee, resigned Saturday, saying they were pressured to change voting procedures by PA political and security officials during the presidential elections. They said that while the Central Election Commission was meeting on voting day to consider Abbas's request to extend voting for extra two hours and allow the usage of identity cards only, shots were fired at the panel's headquarters. At least one of the gunmen was identified as a member of Palestinian intelligence.
Election Committee SG Denies Resignations
International Middle East Media Center 1/16/2005
Two PA Election Officials Resign Over Forced Election Irregularities-- The Secretary General of the Palestinian central election committee Dr. Rami Hamdalah dismissed media reports on the resignation of committee members over election irregularities. Hamdalah explained that no one of the 9 committee members resigned his post, adding that the only one who submitted resignation was an executive employee. Ammar Dwaik and Baha al-Bakri, members of the Palestinian election committee, resigned Saturday, saying they were pressured to change voting procedures by PA political and security officials during the presidential elections.
Abbas to name chiefs for new security wings
Ha'aretz 1/14/2005
The Palestinian leadership told the security organizations yesterday to prepare for a new round of appointments following the election of Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas intends to appoint three new chiefs to head the three new security organs, which will subsume the older security organizations, Palestinian security officials said.
CEC Releases Final Presidential Results
International Press Center 1/13/2005
Ramallah, Palestine, January 13, 2005, (IPC) ---The Palestinian Central Elections Commission (CEC) released on Wednesday the final results of the 2005 Palestinian presidential elections. The CEC handed over the newly-elected Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) a letter, indicating that he had scored the highest number of votes (501448), constituting 62.52% of the total voters.
Photostory: Elections in Gaza
Electronic Intifada 1/12/2005
EI's Arjan El Fassed visited Gaza last week to observe the first Palestinian presidential elections since eight years as part of an election mission of UCP, officially accredited by the Palestinian Central Election Commission. El Fassed visited some 10 polling centers in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, including Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun, Jabalya refugee camp and Gaza City. Mahmoud Abbas ("Abu Mazen") won the elections with 483,039 votes. His main challenger, Mustafa Barghouti, received 153,516 votes. Observers noted Israeli obstructions and a number of irregularities caused by the Central Elections Commission during the elections.
Al-Barghuthi claims 'third force' status
AlJazeera 1/11/2005
Mustafa al-Barghuthi, who came a distant second in Sunday's presidential race, has proudly proclaimed himself the first-ever democratic opposition leader on the Palestinian political scene. "The democratic party we have now has become the first democratic party in Palestine and the Arab world," al-Barghuthi said after the official election results were published, showing PLO Chairman Mahmud Abbas to have won a decisive 62.32% of the vote.
Statistics belie talk of massive mandate
AlJazeera 1/11/2005
As had been widely expected, PLO chief and Fatah candidate MahmudAbbas won Sunday's election handily, thus succeeding the late Yasser Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority. Figures released by the Palestinian Central Election Committee in Ram Allah on Monday showed that Abbas won slightly over 62% of the 775,146 ballots cast at some 2800 polling stations throughout the West Bank and theGaza Strip. Abbas' closest challenger, the independent centre-left candidate Mustafa Barghuthi, came second, receiving 153,516 votes amounting to 19.8% of the total ballots cast. The remaining 18% or so votes went to five other candidates, as follows...
PA court rejects petition on voting procedures
Ha'aretz 1/11/2005
The Palestinian Court of Appeals yesterday rejected a petition against the Palestinian Central Election Committee's decision to allow people to vote on the basis of their identification cards, even if they did not appear in the Population Registry. The court said that the appellant, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), must await the election committee's response to its complaint before turning to the legal system.
Readings in the Results of Palestinian Elections
International Middle East Media Center 1/11/2005
Analysis - Ghassan Andoni -- Participation: Around 41% of all allegeable Palestinian voters voted in the presidential elections, yet they constitute 71% of registered voters. In practice, the Palestinian legislative council decision to allow the ones who did not register to vote according to the civil registration data base in 72 opened voting stations, and the decision of the central election committee to extend voting for two hours, allowing voters to use their Identity Cards as the only identification check, did not help to raise the voters’ percentage, but only help arose doubts of possible frauds.
EU Preliminary Statement on Palestinian Elections
Electronic Intifada 1/11/2005
Press Release, European Union Election Observation Mission - "Palestinian election overcomes difficult and tense conditions but highlights challenges that lie ahead" -- Executive Summary: The 9 January election for the president of the Palestinian Authority represented a genuine effort to conduct a regular electoral process. Despite the difficult and tense conditions, Palestinian electoral authorities made adequate and sufficient arrangements for voters and the strong turn out showed that the public was enthusiastic to exercise its democratic rights. However, the occupation and continuing violence as well as restrictions on freedom of movement meant that a truly free election was always going to be difficult to achieve.
Election Irregularities: Mustafa Barghouthi campaign alleges "serious" election violations
Electronic Intifada 1/9/2005
Press Release, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi Campaign, 9 January 2005 -- "CHANGES IN THE ELECTIONS RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF THE PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS LAW" -- Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, Palestinian presidential candidate, held a press conference at 7:30 pm on the evening of January 9, 2005, the day of the Palestinian presidential elections.
PA Interim Chairman: Legislative Elections on July 17
International Middle East Media Center 1/9/2005
While the polling stations to elect the Palestinian Authority Chairman will open doors Sunday 7:00 a.m., Palestinian Interim Chairman Rohi Fatouh announced Saturday, his last day as chairperson, that legislative elections will be held on July 17. Among other reasons, failing to assign a date for legislative elections was a reason to why few Palestinian political factions, including Islamic ones, decided to boycott the presidential elections.
In pictures: Palestinian polling day
BBC 1/10/2005
12 photos -- School polling stations -- Most polling stations for the Palestinian presidential elections are located in schools, such as the Friends Boys School in Bireh in the West Bank town of Ramallah....
Barghuti proclaims himself leader of Palestinian opposition
Middle East Online 1/10/2005
Runner-up has yet to give name to first-ever democratic opposition party after obtaining respectable 19.8% of votes. -- Mustafa Barghuti, who came a distant second in the presidential race, proudly proclaimed himself the first-ever democratic opposition leader on the Palestinian political scene on Monday. "The democratic party we have now has become the first democratic party in Palestine and the Arab world," Barghuti said after the official election results were published, showing PLO chairman Mahmud Abbas to have won a decisive 62.32 percent of the vote.
Hamas Says Contributed to Election Success
Islam Online 1/10/2005
GAZA, January 10 (IslamOnline.net) – The position taken by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas towards the Palestinian presidential elections contributed to the smooth success of the polls, a leading Hamas figure said. “Hamas has worked to make the elections a success so as to make use of the experience in the coming (municipal) elections,” Mahmoud Al-Zahar told IslamOnline.net late Sunday, January 9. PLO Executive Committee Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen, was formally declared the new Palestinian president Monday, January 10....“We just boycotted the elections, but did not ask people not to vote. We could have publicly asked our people to do so.”
Militants say Abbas must act on corruption
The Guardian 1/10/2005
President faces twin challenge of easing Israel's occupation and ending institutional graft -- The election of Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian president was greeted favourably yesterday by militants in the Gaza Strip, though many warned Yasser Arafat's successor to reserve the option of armed struggle and to act against corruption within Palestinian institutions. Khaled Batch, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, said Mr Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen, was "a man of his word", and his group would consider halting attacks on all Israeli targets.
Analysis / Arafat in a suit
By Danny Rubinstein, Ha'aretz 1/10/2005
A storekeeper in Ramallah was asked by an interviewer from one of the Gulf state stations whom he intended to vote for. "For the good of my business, I should vote for Abu Mazen. But for the sake of my national struggle, I thought I would vote for Dr. Barghouti." To judge from the exit polls published last night, business won out.
Palestinians to polls in Gaza to elect new president
Electronic Intifada 1/9/2005
"It looks like Eid," someone tells me. Indeed, it is a sunny day in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. In the early morning at some of the polling centers Gazans slowly show up. Members of the Central Election Commission are ready for the day. Boxes are sealed in front of the very few international observers in this part of the Gaza Strip. Local observers, including volunteers from various human rights organizations and party affiliates, are waiting to see what is going to happen.
Election Irregularities: 'Indelible' ink used to prevent double-voting washes off easily
Electronic Intifada 1/9/2005
Press Release, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi Campaign -- 9 January 2005, 9:18 a.m. local time — Palestinian presidential candidate Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi has just found out from contacts in Gaza and three voting centers in the West Bank that the indelible ink with which all who have cast their ballots are marked in order to ensure that they only vote once, and to ensure no double voting, can in fact be wiped out with saliva or washing. This can only mean that the indelible ink in these centers must have been replaced with removable ink, and the situation sheds serious doubt on the fairness, accuracy and legitimacy of the election process.
Q&A: Palestinian elections
BBC 1/9/2005
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are voting in elections to install a new leadership who could launch a new era of peace making with Israel. The BBC News website answers the key questions about the vote. What is the election for?The Palestinian presidential election is being held to appoint a successor to the late Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, who died on 11 November.
Surreal scenes in East Jerusalem
BBC 1/9/2005
Palestinians turned out to vote for a new president amid bizarre and chaotic scenes at the main post office on East Jerusalem's bustling Saladin Street. Shortly after polls opened at 0700 local time, Palestinians were conspicuous only in their absence. There was only a small queue outside the office, but journalists and international election observers outnumbered voters by almost three to one...."Palestinians are unable to get in because there too many reporters and international observers," [Jimmy Carter] announced to a bemused crowd. He went on to describe Israeli voting regulations in East Jerusalem as "overly restrictive" and urged Palestinians to exercise their right to vote in whichever way they could. Many of the Palestinians who were able to enter complained they were then being turned away by Israeli officials.
Abbas claims Palestinian poll win
BBC 1/9/2005
Mahmoud Abbas has claimed victory in the Palestinian presidential election, dedicating his win to late leader Yasser Arafat.Exit polls suggest Mr Abbas won around two-thirds of the vote but an official result is not likely until Monday. The Central Elections Commission said turnout was at least 66%. Analysts said Mr Abbas needed a wide margin of victory and high turnout to push his agenda of peace talks and an end to the armed Palestinian uprising.
Israeli security cordon prompts Abbas to call off election rally
Daily Star 1/8/2005
Jewish state kicks out Palestinian presidential candidates -- Mahmoud Abbas canceled an election rally in Jerusalem on Friday, objecting to an Israeli security presence, but vowed that Palestinians would go there one day "as free people in their millions." Meanwhile, Israel kicked two Palestinian presidential candidates out of Jerusalem. As Palestinians prepared to vote on Sunday, violence continued in the Occupied Territories, with two Palestinians shot dead by the Israeli Army in the Gaza Strip, while an Israeli was killed and three others wounded in a Palestinian shooting attack in the West Bank.
Voting begins to elect Arafat's successor
AlJazeera 1/9/2005
Thousands of Palestinians began casting their votes to choose a new Palestinian Authority (PA) leader following the death in November of the late PLO leader Yasir Arafat. Three thousand polling stations, staffed by thousands of PA-appointed civil servants, including teachers, opened at 7am (0500 GMT) on Sunday, but few voters showed up in the early hours, possibly due to cold weather. According to the PA election committee, close to 1.8 million eligible voters could take part in the election in the West Bank, Israeli-occupied Arab East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
Frustrating day for unlisted voters
BBC 1/9/2005
People have been lining up at polling stations throughout the West Bank and Gaza to vote for a successor to Yasser Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority. For Ramallah, high up in the hills around Jerusalem, it was a cold, crisp start to the day, perhaps putting some voters off until there was a bit of warmth in the winter sunshine. Nevertheless, at the Friends Boys School voting centre they had already had 10% of their 2,000 registered voters through the doors by about 0900, two hours after polls opened.
Abbas declares victory in election for PA chair
Ha'aretz 1/10/2005
Palestine Liberation Organization chief Mahmoud Abbas declared victory Sunday in the election for Palestinian Authority chairman and dedicated his victory to Yasser Arafat. "We offer this victory to the soul of the brother, martyr Yasser Arafat and to all Palestinians," Abbas told a jubilant rally of his Fatah party in the West Bank city of Ramallah. "There is a difficult mission ahead to build our state, to achieve security for our people ... to give our prisoners freedom, our fugitives a life in dignity, to reach our goal of an independent state," he said in to hundreds of cheering supporters.
Election Irregularities: Confusion and chaos after change of election rules
Electronic Intifada 1/9/2005
In Shaaf neighborhood in Gaza City staff of the Central Elections Commission were concerned about the low turn out of unregistered voters. "At this school some 20,000 unregistered voters could come, register and vote, however, until now, we only received some 1,300 voters," one of them said. One woman I spoke with said that she had to go to four polling centers before she found the right place to vote.
Palestinian Elections: Report on pre-election process, monitoring of Gaza registration of voters Q4 2004
ReliefWeb/PCHR 1/5/2005
Palestinian Elections: An evaluation of the pre-election process, including the conclusions of the monitoring process conducted by PCHR on the registration of voters in the fourth quarter of 2004 (The Gaza Strip) -- Introduction: On the 15th of November 2004, the acting President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Mr. Rawhi Fattouh issued a presidential decree specifying the 9th of January 2005 as the date for holding presidential elections in order to choose a new president for the PNA, to succeed the late President Yasser Arafat. This decision came in the context of a series of steps taken by the Palestinian political leadership to ensure a peaceful transition of authority following the death of President Arafat on the 11th of November 2004.
High-level U.S. delegation to observe Palestinian elections
ReliefWeb 1/5/2005
United States hopes Israeli-Palestinian cooperation continues after elections -- The United States will send a high-level delegation to observe the January 9 Palestinian presidential election. The delegation will include senators John Sununu and Joseph Biden from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as well as Palestinian-American community leaders George Salem and Ziad Asali. The delegation will meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials and visit polling sites in an effort to ensure that the election process is free and fair.
UN: 320 Observers from 51 countries to monitor the PA elections
International Middle East Media Center 1/5/2005
UN said 51 countries had sent observer delegations with 320 delegates so far for the elections on Sunday and more than 700 international observers would be deployed on the election day, said UN spokesperson Marie Okabe. “Further to the UN’s ongoing technical and logistical assistance programs, the Palestinian Central Election Commission and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested the UN to deploy a Liaison and Support Unit,” she said.
Barghouti Trails in Palestinian Polls
Yahoo! News 1/5/2005
RAMALLAH, West Bank - Mustafa Barghouti trails badly in opinion polls, has the backing of no major party and is challenging the Palestinians' most powerful political machine. But he insists he is no long shot in the race to replace Yasser Arafat (news - web sites). The 50-year-old democracy activist has portrayed himself as a man of the people, a reformer whose promise to tackle rampant graft in the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) and build strong social services for the poor will carry him to victory in Sunday's election. "People are fed up with the system, they are fed up with corruption, they are fed up with favoritism," he said, "and people want change."
Palestinian elections / PA candidate demands campaign funding investigation
Ha'aretz 1/5/2005
Bassam al-Salhi, the nominee of the Palestinian People's Party (formerly the Communist party) for chairman of the Palestinian Authority, held a press conference Monday where he attacked Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, an independent candidate in this Sunday's vote, who until two years ago was a member of the same party. Al-Salhi demanded that the PA Central Election Committee investigate Barghouti's funding sources. Al-Salhi said that Barghouti is spending vast sums and that there should be limits on campaign spending.
Int’l Monitors Flocking in for Palestinian Elections
Palestine Media Center 1/5/2005
PNA Urges Int’l Observers to Watch Israel’s Real Intentions -- As the Palestinian Central Elections Commission is gearing up for presidential election on January 9, more international observers are heading to the occupied Palestinian territories to monitor the electoral process, to be warned in advance by the Palestine National Authority (PNA) to watch Israel's real intentions towards the election following deadly Israeli attacks that claimed 26 Palestinian lives since the campaign was launched on December 25.
The Geneva Accord moves to center stage
Ha'aretz 1/4/2005
Television stations in the territories have been broadcasting an Israeli-Palestinian campaign since last week that is promoting the accord. The marketer: an advertising company owned by Abu Mazen's two sons -- "Half a year ago they asked us to broadcast the campaign, but this was a very big problem for us because the public response after similar broadcasts had been harsh. Now the reactions are not as harsh as they were in the past..."...Thus far Abu Mazen himself has not related publicly to the accord....Abed Rabbo, incidentally, is considered to be very close to Abu Mazen these days, and the rumor mill in the PA has it that he is expected to receive a senior position after the coming elections.
Abbas: Refugees to return to their homes in Israel
Ha'aretz 1/4/2005
Mahmoud Abbas, the leading candidate in next week's presidential election, promised Palestinian refugees yesterday that they'll be able to return home one day - his most explicit comment yet on an explosive issue that has derailed peace talks in the past.Abbas was campaigning for a third straight day in Gaza, trying to counter his image as a gray bureaucrat who might not stand up to Israel by appealing to younger, more militant Palestinians with hard-line pronouncements.
Palestinian election committee moves to prevent voting fraud
Ha'aretz 1/4/2005
The Palestinian Central Elections Committee (CEC) has taken a number of steps to prevent fraud or claims of fraud in this Sunday's Palestinian Authority presidential elections. The move comes as a lesson learned from the elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council, in which suspicions of fraud were aired. The 2,800 ballot boxes, imported from Denmark, are partially transparent so they can be seen to be empty before voting starts. Another reason for their partial transparency, according to Dr. Hanna Nasser, head of the CEC, is to reassure Israeli soldiers at checkpoints that they contain only paper.
Hamas Confirms Election Boycott, Won't Back a Candidate
International Middle East Media Center 1/2/2005
A leading member of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Said Siam, confirmed Saturday that his group does not intend to take part in the January 9 presidential elections. He called on Hamas members and supporters to boycott balloting stations. Also, two small Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) factions, the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)-General Command and the Arab Front for the Liberation of Palestine took a similar stand. The seven presidential candidates are currently campaigning in different parts of the Palestinian territories, meeting voters and explaining their future programs.
Abbas wins backing of Palestinian gunmen with pledge to stand by 'fighting brothers'
The Independent 1/3/2005
Palestinian gunmen yesterday threw their support exuberantly behind Mahmoud Abbas, the favourite to succeed the late Yasser Arafat in next Sunday's presidential election. Mahmoud Mashabat, a local militia commander, embraced Mr Abbas and kissed him at a campaign rally in the central Gaza town of Deir el-Balah after the Fatah frontrunner promised never to abandon the fighters Israel is still hunting as terrorists. Dozens of gunmen greeted his pledge with shots in the air. Others welcomed him equally warmly on Saturday in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza, a scene of frequent battles with Israeli troops.
Abbas campaigns amid Israeli raid
AlJazeera 1/3/2005
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas has said in a presidential campaign speech he would never take up arms against Palestinian groups. "They are freedom fighters and should live a dignified and safe life," said Abbas, whose call for a negotiated settlement has been rejected by some groups whose support he is courting in the 9 January elections for president of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas said on Monday he was determined to ensure the rule of law prevailed in the Palestinian territories.
New poll shows Abbas way ahead of closest rival Barghouti
Ha'aretz 1/3/2005
Interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has a significant lead over his rivals in the race to replace Yasser Arafat, according to a new poll published yesterday in Ramallah, confirming his status as the front-runner in next week's election. The poll, conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, found Abbas was favored by 65 percent of voters, 43 percent more than favored Mustafa Barghouti, a physician and pro-democracy activist. The other five candidates had combined support of 5 percent, and 8 percent remained undecided.
Abbas vows refugees will be able to return
Daily Star 1/4/2005
Hamas demands presidential candidate apologize for urging halt to attacks -- Mahmoud Abbas, the leading candidate in next week's presidential election, on Monday promised Palestinian refugees they'll be able to return home one day - his most explicit comment yet on an explosive issue that has derailed peace talks in the past. Abbas, campaigning for a third straight day in Gaza, is still far too moderate for Hamas, however, which demanded that he apologize for requesting a halt to rocket attacks against Israel.
Biographies of Presidential Candidates
Jerusalem Media and Communication Centre
Overview: The smooth transfer of power in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) following the death of President Yasser Arafat contradicted predictions of chaos and Palestinian infighting. By upholding the bylaws of their institutions, Palestinians dispelled myths that they need to be guided towards the path of democracy. They are well into the process of organizing multi-level elections starting with municipal elections on 23 December 2004, followed by presidential elections on 9 January 2005 and legislative elections in May 2005. Fateh, the PLO’s largest political party plans to reform itself and will hold elections in August 2005-for the first time in 16 years.
Presidential Candidates: Preliminary List
Palestinian Ministry of Information
PNA Presidential Elections, January 9, 2005. Includes links to candidate biographies and platforms.
On the Path of Democracy: The Palestinian Presidential Candidates
Jerusalem Media and Communication Centre 1/1/2005
Overview: The smooth transfer of power in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) following the death of President Yasser Arafat contradicted predictions of chaos and Palestinian infighting. By upholding the bylaws of their institutions, Palestinians dispelled myths that they need to be guided towards the path of democracy. They are well into the process of organizing multi-level elections starting with municipal elections on 23 December 2004, followed by presidential elections on 9 January 2005 and legislative elections in May 2005. Fateh, the PLO’s largest political party plans to reform itself and will hold elections in August 2005-for the first time in 16 years.
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 Conflict..
Hamas' Election Celebrations Turns Violent, 20 Hurt
International Middle East Media Center 1/30/2005
A Hamas's political rally turned violent Saturday, as supporters of the Islamic movement and those of Fatah clashed. At least 30 people were hurt. The clash, which took place in Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza , was the first instance of violence between rival Palestinian factions since December 2004, the first round of Palestinian local elections. Palestinian sources said that one Fatah activist, who was angered by “provocative chanting” opened fire at the rally, wounding one person in the chest.
Background / Gunmen for God: Palestine's militias, a profile
Ha'aretz 1/18/2005
Now that the Palestinian elections are over, the real campaign begins. For Mahmoud Abbas, it is the campaign swing of his life. The voters in question range from undecided to hostile. The central plank of the Abbas platform is based on a mutual Israeli-Palestinian truce these voters do not want. They are Palestine's armies of the night, the gunmen for God who will, in accomodation or in blood, seal the fate of Mahmoud Abbas.
When death gets closer, mothers start lamenting
Rafah Today 1/16/2005
Few days after the Palestinians elections: The Israeli Occupation Forces continued invading many parts of Gaza Strip, where many tens of people were injured and killed since the Sunday’s election. This morning in Khnayouies, the Israeli Army shelled one of the UNRWA schools, as eyewitnesses mentioned that the Israeli Army shelled Al Kahldia UNRWA school, as the shelling came from Navi Dekalim Jews settlement, no casualties in people reported.
Analysis: Karni attack part of Palestinian power struggle
Ha'aretz 1/15/2005
The timing of Thursday night's terror attack at the Karni crossing between Israel and Gaza, together with the identities of the three organizations that claimed responsibility for carrying it out, clearly demonstrate the dangers and hidden possibilities of the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Coming just days before Mahmoud Abbas is due to be sworn in as the new Palestinian Authority chairman following his victory in the Palestinian elections, the attack, in which six Israeli civilians were killed, also exposes the dangerous game of poker now being played out in the Gaza Strip between the various groups and Abbas.
Several die in Gaza crossing attack
AlJazeera 1/13/2005
At least five Israelis and three Palestinians have been killed in an explosion set off by Palestinian resistance fighters at a vital Gaza crossing, the Israeli military says. Thursday's attack on the Karni crossing was the biggest since Mahmud Abbas won Sunday's election to succeed Yasir Arafat as head of the Palestinian Authority. The attack took place just before 11pm (2100 GMT) at thecrossing where farm produce and other goods enter and leave the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian fighters entered the crossing in a bomb-laden truck minutes before it was to close, the Israeli military said.
Five Israelis Die in Gaza Suicide Bombing
The Guardian 1/13/2005
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Palestinian militants set off a large truck bomb as gunmen stormed an Israeli base at a vital Gaza crossing Thursday, killing five Israelis and wounding five others in an attack that defied peace efforts by new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. The assault, in which three Palestinians attackers were also killed, was by far the biggest since Abbas won an election Sunday to succeed Yasser Arafat as head of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas has been trying to persuade militant groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad to agree to a cease-fire, but so far with no success.
Rafah Today: 14-year-old killed while placing poster of Al-Barhgouti
Rafah Today 1/8/2005
Little Isra Abu Shaluof (3) is the latest civilian fatality here in Rafah. She died during the ongoing shelling of civilian neighborhoods near the Gaza/Egypt border that has been relentless. Many children have been killed in the past few days in Rafah Refugee Camp.The most recent funeral was for Rezk Musleh (14), who died while placing a poster of the Palestinian candidate Dr. Mustapha Al Barhgouti. Mahmoud Al Arja (21) received several seriousabdominal wounds during yesterday's shelling targeting civilian houses in the Hay Al Salam neighborhood.
News Briefs, January 5, 2005
International Middle East Media Center 1/5/2005
Soldiers attack field election teams in J'lem / Soldiers impose curfew over a village near Bethlehem/ Homemade shell fired at Doughit settlement / Five resistance fighters wounded in Beit Lahia / Resident wounded in Rafah / Three brothers arrested near the Rafah border crossing / Three P.A security men wounded and arrested in the northern Gaza Strip / Child seriously wounded in Rafah / Two arrested south of Nablus / Three residents arrested in Bethlehem / Six Palestinians arrested in the West Bank at dawn / Three members of the resistance arrested in the Gaza Strip / Homemade shell fired at Sderot / Three arrested in the southern Gaza Strip
Seven children die in crossfire as Israelis target suspected militants
The Guardian 1/5/2005
Mahmoud Abbas, who is expected to win Sunday's election for the presidency of the Palestinian Authority, condemned "the Zionist enemy" yesterday after seven children on their way to pick strawberries were mistaken for Palestinian militants and killed by Israeli tank shells. The tanks used anti-personnel shells, which throw out thousands of metal darts in a deadly cloud. Children aged 10, 12, 13 and 14 and three 17-year-olds were killed. A further 11 people were injured, four critically. The attack took place near Beit Lahiya, in northern Gaza, from where militants had been firing mortars at Israeli positions on the Gaza border, injuring one person.
Israeli troops withdraw from three Gaza areas
Middle East Online 1/3/2005
Army halts incursion into north of Gaza Strip to avoid stirring trouble ahead of Palestinian election. -- GAZA CITY - The Israeli army on Sunday withdrew troops from three areas in the north of the Gaza Strip where they had been carrying out a major incursion operation since the morning, witnesses said. Infantry units and armoured vehicles that were occupying the Beit Hanun, Jabaliya and Beit Lahya areas withdrew but tanks stayed in position on the outskirts of these areas. A military spokesman said that the army had carried out a "redeployment of forces" but said it was continuing to hold positions to prevent rockets being fired into Israeli territory.
17 Palestinians killed by Israeli army since start of Palestinian election campaign
Electronic Intifada/PCHR 1/3/2005
Report, PCHR -- PCHR is gravely concerned at the escalation of attacks by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and the impact of this on the preparations for holding the Palestinian presidential election on 9 January 2005.PCHR calls upon the international community to pressure Israel and its occupation forces to stop such attacks in order to create appropriate conditions to allow Palestinians to exercise their electoral right and freely choose a new president for the Palestinian National Authority.
IOF Push into Khan Yunis, 5 Palestinians Killed
Palestine Media Center 12/30/2004
PIC: 172 Children, 36 Women among 950 Palestinians Killed in 2004 -- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have killed five Palestinians during an ongoing large-scale invasion of the southern Gaza Strip refugee camp of Khan Yunis early Thursday to raise the Palestinian death toll in less than a week to 17, and to 3,772 since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada (uprising) against the 37-year old Israeli occupation on September 28, 2000. Also early Thursday an IOF extra-judicial execution failed to kill Talal Abu Tharifah, the manager of the electoral campaign of presidential candidate Tayseer Khaled in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported.
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Diplomacy..
Palestinians caution Israelis at Davos
AlJazeera 1/28/2005
Palestinian leaders have warned their Israeli counterparts that a new spirit of cooperation between them would endure only if Israel's Gaza pullout was linked to a final peace settlement. Leaders from both sides addressing the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos on Friday hailed the new mood of goodwill since the 9 January election of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas after more than four years of bitter armed conflict.
Abbas looks to build up diplomatic pressure on Israel on first foreign trip
Daily Star 1/26/2005
Four-stage tour precedes expected visit to EU headquarters --RAMALLAH, West Bank: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is to embark this week on the first foreign trip by a Palestinian leader for over three years, heading to Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Russia, in a bid to build up international pressure on Israel. While his predecessor Yasser Arafat was effectively confined to his West Bank headquarters for the last three years of his life, Abbas has wasted no time on taking to his travels after his Jan. 9 election.
Rice hails Mid-East 'opportunity
BBC 1/18/2005
The incoming US secretary of state has said trying to solve the Middle East conflict will be a core goal during her term as America's top diplomat. Condoleezza Rice told US senators at a confirmation hearing that this was a critical "moment of opportunity". "I don't think we can afford to miss this opportunity if the parties themselves are willing to take advantage of it," Ms Rice said. She said she drew great encouragement from the recent Palestinian elections. But she said newly elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas needed to do more to end militant attacks against Israel to keep hopes of peace alive.
Israel Opposes Cease-fire, complains about Abbas's Lack of Action
International Middle East Media Center 1/14/2005
The Israeli army official said newly elected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has done nothing to deal with Palestinian resistance groups. "Abu Mazen must take matters into his hands immediately," a senior army General Staff said to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Thursday. "Before the elections, the Palestinians told us that he is trying to achieve calm through dialogue. That did not work. In the meantime, the elections are over, "terrorism" continues as usual, and the PA has done nothing.
Bush urged to seize the moment in Mideast
By Jim Lobe, Asia Times 1/15/2005
WASHINGTON - Three dozen of the United States' most prominent Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders have issued an appeal to President George W Bush to appoint a high-level special envoy to work full-time on promoting peace talks between the governments of Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). The leaders, who together represent 25 national religious organizations, said on Wednesday that the recent realignment in the Israeli government and its plan to disengage from Gaza, coupled with Sunday's election of Mahmoud Abbas to succeed the late Yasser Arafat as PA president, offer a major opportunity for resuming the peace process.
Security Council in presidential statement, congratulates Palestinian people on participation in recent election
ReliefWeb 1/13/2005
Hears Briefing on Middle East Situation, Farewell Statement by United States Representative Danforth -- The United Nations Security Council today welcomed the recent Palestinian Presidential election, and congratulated the Palestinian people “who demonstrated their commitment to democracy by participating in the election under challenging conditions”.
UN official paints modestly optimistic picture for progress in Middle East conflict
ReliefWeb/UN News Service 1/13/2005
For the second straight month the head of the United Nations Political Affairs office today presented a modestly optimistic picture of the “enormous potential” for progress towards settling the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in contrast to the gloomy forebodings of much of the past year. “There is a palpable sense of expectation of real, substantial and sustainable change in the region,” Under-Secretary-General Kieran Prendergast told the Security Council, citing the democratic election of a new Palestinian President who has called for an end to attacks on Israel, and the formation of a new Israeli Government to carry out the evacuation of settlements in the occupied Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.
Europeans, Arabs warn U.S. to alter its strategy
Ha'aretz 1/13/2005
Arab and European officials have been warning the U.S. that if there was no change in its strategy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after the Palestinian elections, Mahmoud Abbas, the new Palestinian president elect, would resign and a deadly civil war would break out in the territories. According to the messages delivered by moderate Arab states and Europeans, a series of American steps, starting with the appointment of a special presidential envoy to the region, are necessary. That envoy's job would be to press home U.S. interests in seeing a renewal of a genuine negotiating process between the sides.
Abbas holds out for 'useful' Sharon talks
The Independent 1/12/2005
Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, told his new coalition cabinet yesterday after congratulating Mahmoud Abbas on his election victory that he expected to meet the Palestinian President "in the near future". In the first tentative sign of resumed contact between the two sides in the conflict, Mr Sharon telephoned Mr Abbas. An Israeli statement said that in the call, which lasted no more than 10 minutes, Mr Sharon congratulated the Palestinian leader on his personal achievement and his victory in the elections and wished him luck.
PM to congratulate Abbas, meeting planned within days
Ha'aretz 1/11/2005
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was planning to telephone Palestinian president-elect Mahmoud Abbas today to congratulate him on Sunday's election victory. Government sources in Jerusalem said yesterday that arrangements were being made for a meeting between Abbas and Sharon in the coming days....During a meeting yesterday with U.S. Senator John Kerry, who was in the country as a Palestinian elections observer, Sharon said, "The main thing to focus on now after the Palestinian elections is how they handle the terrorism."
Solana: Israel did not fulfill its commitment to ease the PA Elections
International Middle East Media Center 1/11/2005
The EU Foreign Policy Officer Javier Solana, on Monday, slammed Israel for obstructing the Palestinian Presidential elections held on Sunday. Solana told reporters during his visit to the information center of the Central Election Committee that he was expecting more ease on the situation to facilitate the elections, however, "Israel did not fulfill its commitment as it should have."
Secretary-General Calls Palestinian Poll a Significant Step in Historic Transition
Miftah/UN News Centre 1/11/2005
Following is a statement attributable to the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan: The Secretary-General welcomes the Palestinian Presidential election as a significant step in what is a historic democratic transition in the occupied Palestinian territory. He is especially pleased with reports indicating that the election was conducted in a politically competitive yet peaceful atmosphere.
Sharon congratulates Abbas
The Guardian 1/11/2005
The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, today telephoned Mahmoud Abbas to congratulate him on winning the Palestinian presidential election. The call was the first direct contact between the two leaders since Sunday's election and was the latest sign that the two sides are eager to restart peace efforts after years of stalemate. Mr Sharon's office said in a statement that the prime minister had "congratulated him on his personal achievement and his victory in the elections and wished him luck" and that "they agreed they would continue talking".
Abbas offers hand of peace to Israel
Daily Star 1/11/2005
Israel parliament approves new coalition increasing likelihood of conciliation -- A new chapter opened in the troubled history of the Middle East Monday as the dovish Mahmoud Abbas replaced the late Yasser Arafat and a new Israeli government that will give up the Gaza Strip was ushered in. According to official results, the moderate former premier won the second-ever Palestinian presidential election with 62 percent of the vote, granting him the legitimacy he needs to yank the peace process out of its slumber and resume talks with Israel. Abbas said Monday he was offering the hand of peace to Israel after his overwhelming victory in the presidential election. "We offer the hand of peace to our neighbors and we hope that the response will be positive," Abbas said during a reception for international observers who monitored Sunday's election.
In quotes: Reaction to Palestinian poll
BBC 1/10/2005
Political leaders in the Middle East and abroad have been giving a cautious welcome to Mahmoud Abbas's apparent victory in the Palestinian presidential election. Here are some key quotes.-- The Palestinians are still not fighting terror and while [Mr Abbas's] declarations in the framework of the election campaign were encouraging, he will be tested by the way he battles terror and acts to dismantle its infrastructure. - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Abbas makes peace offer to Israel
BBC 1/10/2005
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has offered "the hand of peace" to Israel after his landslide victory in Sunday's presidential election. "We are ready for peace, peace based on justice. We hope that their [Israel's] response will be positive," he said. Mr Abbas urged a resumption of talks based on the internationally-backed "roadmap" peace plan.
Palestinian election ends, challenges begin
Christian Science Monitor 1/10/2005
Mahmoud Abbas's victory Sunday gives new impetus to negotiation with Israel. -- RAMALLAH, WEST BANK – Mahmoud Abbas's election victory has opened a new window for Middle East peacemaking, but the new president's ability to deliver a better life and gains toward statehood for Palestinians hinges largely on Israel and the armed Palestinian factions, analysts say. Since Mr. Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, was clear during the campaign about his intention to end the armed intifada and restart peace talks with Israel, his victory is seen as a willingness by the public to give that approach a try.
After U.S. Push, Israel Drops Demand For Quick Disbanding of Terror Groups
Forward 1/7/2005
Move Intended To Boost Abbas -- WASHINGTON — With a push from the Bush administration, Israel is dropping its demand that Palestinian Authority leaders immediately dismantle terrorist organizations, American and Israeli diplomatic sources said. The change reflects the growing belief in Jerusalem and Washington that demanding a crackdown on armed terrorist groups, including Hamas, would hurt the ability of Mahmoud Abbas, the American favorite in the Palestinian presidential election set for January 9, to establish his legitimacy as a successor to the late Yasser Arafat.
Abbas expected to win PA vote; Israel to offer prisoner release for end to Qassams
Ha'aretz 1/9/2005
Polling stations were due to open early this morning in the territories, as Palestinians prepared to cast their votes in the presidential election that is expected to see Palestine Liberation Organization chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) ushered in as chairman of the Palestinian Authority, replacing the late Yasser Arafat....For its part, Israel is already preparing for the renewal of negotiations with the new Palestinian leadership and a meeting between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Palestinian president-elect. The Sharon government is regarding the election of Abu Mazen as a certainty, and the formula currently on the table is that "Palestinian prisoners will be released and additional restrictions will be lifted, in return for a [Palestinian] war against the Qassam rockets."
Bush: PA elections essential step towards Palestinian state
Ha'aretz 1/10/2005
U.S. President George W. Bush praised Sunday's Palestinian elections as an essential step towards the goal of statehood, according to Reuters. In a written statement issued by the White House, Bush said the new Palestinian leadership faces "critical tasks ahead," including fighting terrorism and combating corruption. Bush called on Israel to "improve the humanitarian and economic situation in the West Bank and Gaza," and said Arab states "must take concrete steps" to deny assistance to militants attacking Israel.
Security Council hopes 'restraint will prevail' for upcoming Palestinian elections – President
ReliefWeb 1/5/2005
The United Nations Security Council hopes “restraint will prevail” between the parties to the Middle East conflict so that Palestinian elections next Sunday can be conducted in a free, fair and inclusive manner, the President of the 15-member body for this month, Argentine Ambassador César Mayoral, said today.
Egypt Calls on Israel to Fulfill Commitments, Halt Military Offensives
International Middle East Media Center 1/2/2005
In a statement on Saturday, the Egyptian foreign ministry called on Israel to fulfill its commitment to help Palestinians run smooth and democratic elections, saying that Israeli escalations, especially in the Gaza strip, would hinder the long-awaited elections.
Egypt calls Israel for pullback to pre-September 2000 lines
International Middle East Media Center 1/3/2005
Egypt called on Monday for a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian areas to the positions they held before the outbreak of the Palestinian Intifada in 2000, in order to foster Palestinian presidential elections slated for January 9. In an interview with the Egyptian radio, Foreign Minsiter Ahmed Abul Gheit said, "The aim Egypt is working for is to restore confidence and calm so that the Palestinian people in all the Gaza Strip can take part in a legitimate election process under international supervision."
Qurei Accuses Israel Of Undermining Due Presidential Elections
International Press Center 1/3/2005
GAZA, Palestine, January 2, 2005 (IPC + WAFA) - - The Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei', well known as (Abu Alaa) accused yesterday Israeli of working on to undermine the Palestinian elections by the military escalation launched against Gaza Strip. He also warned of the Israeli attempt to obstruct the due Palestinian election on 9th January and viewed the Israeli military onslaught against khan Younis as "a crime".
Israel will permit Abbas to campaign in East Jerusalem
Ha'aretz 1/3/2005
Israel will allow PLO chairman Mahmoud Abbas to visit East Jerusalem as part of his campaign for next Sunday's elections for Palestinian Authority chairman if Abbas decides to do so, a political source said yesterday. But it is unclear how Israel would react if Abbas decides he wants to include the Temple Mount on his itinerary. Abbas is considering campaigning in Jerusalem and is expected to make a final decision in the next two days, his aides said yesterday. They said he has not decided whether he wants to visit the Temple Mount.
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Human
Rights..
Preliminary Evaluation of Monitoring Over Palestinian Local Elections
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 1/28/2005
On Thursday, 27 January 2005, Palestinian electors in 10 local communities went to polling centers to vote in the first local elections to be held in the Gaza Strip since a long time.By holding elections in these10 communities, the first stage of elections of Palestinian local councils, which included elections of additional 26 local councils in the West Bank on 23 December 2004, ended.Other stages of local elections will be held in the next months to include the remaining Palestinian local councils throughout the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, 06 - 12 Jan. 2005
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 1/13/2005
8 Palestinians, 5 of whom were civilians, including 2 children and an elderly woman, were killed by IOF./ IOF conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. / Houses were raided and dozens of Palestinian civilians were arrested. / Continued shelling of residential areas / Construction of the “annexation wall” in the West Bank has continued, and IOF plan to annex 4 villages in Bethlehem district to Israel. / IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; Rafah Terminal on the Egyptian border has been closed for the 2nd consecutive month, IOF positioned at checkpoints fired at Palestinian civilians and killed one in Khan Yunis, and IOF imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank during the Palestinian presidential election.
Palestine peace team
Al-Ahram Weekly on-line 1/13/2005
IN ITS first ever action on the ground, the Suzanne Mubarak Women's International Peace Movement (SMWIP) sent a delegation to Palestine earlier this week to help lend moral support to Palestinian women during legislative and presidential elections. "We have responded to the call made to us by Palestinian women but we will try to do the same for other women who need our support and solidarity," Mrs Mubarak said...The delegation brought together women from nine countries. Led by Gertrude Mongella, president of the African Parliament, the SMWIP delegation includes 11 women peace activists who work for a host of regional and international peace organisations.
White noise and witness accounts
Al-Ahram Weekly on-line 1/13/2005
International observers have given Palestinian democracy a clean bill of health, but electoral chaos in East Jerusalem brings to question how free the vote really was -- On the invitation of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Palestinian Central Elections Commission, more than 22,000 local and 1,000 international observers, both diplomatic and non-governmental, gathered in the occupied territories with the single, unified aim of seeking to ensure that the Palestinian presidential election was effective, democratic and free...."We've set a trap for ourselves and fallen straight into it," said Tahrir, a local observer and human rights worker. "Here in Palestine we suffer from schizophrenia -- we are democratic, and we are also militarily occupied."
Denial of East Jerusalemites' Right to Participate in Election
International Solidarity Movement 1/12/2005
At approximately 2:30 PM on election day, former US President Jimmy Carter intervened with the Israeli government on behalf of 124,000 Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem who were not allowed to vote near their homes because of Israeli government restrictions. This belated intervention allowed Palestinian residents of the city who hold Jerusalem IDs and who had registered for the election to vote at any of the six Israeli post office polling stations in East Jerusalem.
Elections in Nablus: Nothing New
International Solidarity Movement 1/12/2005
The Palestinian election: perhaps you saw images of flag waving youth in Ramallah? Or maybe heard the optimistic words of George W Bush and other world leaders about new opportunities for peace? But from where I was sitting in the West Bank city of Nablus one thing was clear: voting for a president in a state that doesn't actually exist will not change much for the lives of the people here.
ISM Election Day Report from Hebron
International Solidarity Movement 1/12/2005
On the day of the Palestinian Presidential elections, ISM volunteers, including myself came to Hebron from Jerusalem to join the small ISM presence already there. Hearing reports of settler violence against Palestinians, we though it important that we boost the ISM presence there for election day, in case of any Israeli obstruction, either by settlers or the IOF. In any event, ISM is trying to build a more permanent presence in Hebron because of the huge problems there, especially in the old city, and general H2 designated area.
Palestinian Elections: Exercising Democracy under Occupation
Electronic Intifada 1/12/2005
To the outside world and the 800 international observers, the 9 January 2005 Palestinian presidential elections seemed like a normal exercise in democracy. However, what many chose to ignore was the fact that the elections were conducted under "abnormal" conditions. Palestinians, explained Diana Buttu, special advisor to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), were exercising democracy under direct occupation. Speaking at a 10 January 2005 briefing at the DC-based Palestine Center, Buttu noted that between 11 November 2004 and 6 January 2005, Israel killed 88 Palestinians--one-quarter of whom were children--and injured 339.
Palestinians stranded at border crossing
AlJazeera 1/8/2005
With the world's focus on the Palestinian elections, Palestinians stranded at the closed Rafah-Egypt border feel they have been forgotten. One such victim of the Israeli measure is Yasmin and her groom who held their engagement celebration in a Cairo hotel. For the Palestinian couple from Gaza it was supposed to be a momentous occasion that was months in the planning - the celebration of the beginning of a lifetime together. But the ceremony was bittersweet, and the dance floor empty save for the bride and groom. The majority of their guests, after all, could not attend.
IOF Targets Press Car Northern Gaza Strip
WAFA 1/10/2005
BEIT HANOUN, January 10, 2005, (WAFA) - Palestinian medics said early Monday that the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) opened fire at a group of local and foreign journalists in their car, critically wounding the driver near Israeli crossing of Beit Hanoun. Medics told WAFA that the IOF, stationed at the area, targeted a group of local and foreign journalists in their car which was driving near the crossing, wounding the driver, Ayman Mas'oud 35, who was on his way convey the journalists out Gaza Strip (GS) after covering yesterday's Palestinian presidential elections. Medics added that Masoud was critically wounded with a live bullet in the belly.
Due to Israeli Restrictions First Palestinian Votes at 12:30 at Jerusalem Polling Center
International Solidarity Movement 1/9/2005
Only 4.8% of East Jerusalemites will actually find their names on the East Jerusalem voting lists at the six Israeli post offices near their homes. The vast majority are being turned away and told to travel on to the surrounding towns and villages to vote. -- At approximately, 12:30 PM today, 5 ½ hours after the opening of polling stations, the first Palestinian voter succeeded in casting a ballot at the Jaffa Gate post office in the old city of East Jerusalem. Israeli imposed obstacles to voting at the Jaffa Gate polling station typify the problems Palestinians are experiencing as they attempt to conduct democratic elections under Israeli occupation. The Israeli government is attempting to limit Palestinian voting in East Jerusalem in particular as part of an attempt to deny Palestinian rights and identity there.
PNA Accuses Israel of Hampering the Presidential Elections
International Press Center 1/8/2005
RAMALLAH, Palestine, January 8, 2005 (IPC+ Agencies)-- The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) accused Israeli Saturday of hampering the due Palestinian presidential elections by keeping on the ground security checkpoints and roadblocks in the various Palestinian cities, towns, villages and refugee camps. Palestinian Negotiations Minister, Sa'eb Eriqat, was quoted as saying that the situation on the ground has not changed and that the Israeli military escalation is still going on as the checkpoints continue to be placed.
Election Irregularities: Election Appeals Court rejects an appeal submitted by PCHR against allowing identity cards
Electronic Intifada 1/10/2005
On Monday at noon, 10 January 2005, the Palestinian Election Appeals Court (EAC) rejected an appeal submitted by PCHR late on Sunday night, the 9th of January 2005, to issue a final injunction cancelling a decision taken by the Central Election Commission (CEC) to allow electors to vote using identity cards instead of relying on the electoral register. A few hours before closing the polling, the CEC circulated instructions to officials of polling centers to allow citizens whose names are not registered in the electoral register to vote depending on checking their identity cards only and not relying on the electoral register.
Preliminary Evaluation of Monitoring over the Palestinian Presidential Election
Electronic Intifada/PCHR 1/10/2005
On Sunday, 9 January 2005, the Palestinian electorate went to polling centers to vote in the first presidential election under the Palestinian National Authority since 1996.This important development came in the context of a series of steps taken by the Palestinian leadership, following the death of President Yasser Arafat, which ensured quiet and peaceful transition of authority.... According to preliminary conclusions of monitoring, which amounted to a comprehensive survey of all polling centers in all electoral constituencies in the Gaza Strip, the election took place peacefully and impressively, reflecting high-levels oforganization.There were a number of violations, especially by supporters of a number of candidates, but these did not damage the essence of the electoral process.
Election Irregularities: Palestinian civilians still being denied access to al-Mawasi in Gaza
Electronic Intifada 1/8/2005
8 January 2005, 14:00 GMT — PCHR is gravely concerned that at least 180 residents of al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip have been prevented from traveling back to their homes in the area by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). This measure will further increase the suffering of these Palestinians, as it particularly deprives them of participation in the Palestinian presidential election on Sunday, 9 January 2005. According to information available to PCHR, IOF have continued to partially close al-Tuffah checkpoint at the entrance to al-Mawasi area for several weeks. Under this closure, only women and male Palestinians who are over 50 years old are allowed to cross the checkpoint, but under severe restrictions.
Election Irregularities: Israeli Claims of Military Withdrawal from West Bank a Fabrication
Electronic Intifada/PCHR 1/9/2005
Report, PCHR -- Despite claims by the Israeli military, PCHR's field workers in the West Bank report that Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have continued positioning forces at stable military checkpoints erected at the entrances to the major towns, and have also erected a number of sudden military checkpoints at the main crossroads on the eve of the Palestinian presidential election. In Nablus, IOF have maintained their presence at Beit Eiba checkpoint, northwest of the city; Hawara and Za'tara checkpoints, south of the city; and Beit Fourik checkpoint, east of the city. They have also continued to close al-Bathan road leading to the Jordan Valley and Nablus – Qalqilya road with cement blocks. On Thursday, 6 January 2005, IOF erected a checkpoint at al-Lubban al-Sharqi crossroads on Nablus – Ramallah road.
PCHR publishes an evaluation report on election campaign conduct
Electronic Intifada/PCHR 1/9/2005
Today, 9 January 2005, PCHR has published a report evaluating the election campaign for the Palestinian presidential election and related violations of the regulations prescribed by the electoral law concerning this campaign.The report examines the commitment of candidates and related parties with the regulations prescribed by the electoral law during the official period of the election campaign, 25 December 2004 – 7 January 2005.
High Court to hear request that jailed Palestinians vote
International Middle East Media Center 1/5/2005
The Israeli High Court of Justice on Wednesday will discuss a petition requesting that the 8,000 Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli jails be allowed to vote in next Sunday's Palestinian Authority chairmanship election. The petition was filed on Monday by the Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs, Hisham Abdul Razek, who protested the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's decision not to allow 8,000 residents of the territories jailed in Israeli prisons to participate in the Palestinian presidential elections.
CEC: Voting arrangements for Jerusalemites don’t conform to the standards of free, fair and transparent elections
Arabic Media Internet Network 1/5/2005
The Palestinian presidential election in Jerusalem will be conducted according to the 1995 Oslo Accords and will follow the precedent set during the 1996 presidential and legislative elections. Using the 1996 precedent, the approximately 120,000 Jerusalem ID holders who are eligible to vote in the Palestinian presidential election will vote in five post offices in Jerusalem city. The capacity of these post offices, according to the Oslo Accords, is not more than 5,367 voters. As a result, the majority of Jerusalem ID holders will not be able to vote near their homes, but must travel to the areas surrounding Jerusalem to vote in one of twelve Jerusalem ID holder voting centers.
Abuse of Palestinian detainees decried
AlJazeera 1/3/2005
The Israeli army has mistreated 10 detained Palestinian community leaders who were arrested in the run up to Palestinian elections, their lawyer has said. The leaders were rounded up from their homes in Dura, south of Jerusalem, on Saturday night and have been in detention ever since. Israel's occupation army says the men were detained because they posed a threat to the Jewish State. However, Palestinians believe the real reason is their intention to run in the upcoming Palestinian polls.
Israel arrests Palestinian candidates
Electronic Intifada 1/3/2005
In an apparent effort to forestall gains by Hamas in Palestinian elections, the Israeli army has arrested a large number of potential candidates in the southern part of the West Bank. The arrests began shortly after midnight on Saturday in the town of Dura, nearly 50km south of Jerusalem, where the Israeli occupation army arrested an undisclosed number of Islamist leaders. Local sources in the Hebron area said the detainees included Shaikh Nayif Rajub, imam of the town's Grand Mosque, and Shaikh Fathi Amr, a high-ranking official in Hebron's Islamic endowments department....All but one were undeclared candidates in the upcoming elections for the town's municipal council.
PA official to petition High Court against gov't refusal to let Palestinian security prisoners vote
Ha'aretz 1/3/2005
Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs, Hisham Abdul Razek, today will petition Israel's High Court against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's decision not to allow 8,000 residents of the territories jailed in Israeli prisons to participate in next week's Palestinian Authority leadership election in the territories. The petition will argue that the decision discriminates against Palestinian prisoners as compared to Israeli prisoners, who include murderers, rapists and organized crime heads. Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra confirmed yesterday at a discussion held yesterday with senior government and security officials that Israel had decided it had done enough by allowing East Jerusalem residents to participate in the elections.
Palestinian poll candidate released
AlJazeera 12/11/2004
Israeli police have released a Palestinian presidential candidate after detaining him for involvement in a scuffle with Israeli troops.Bassam al-Salhi, who is running for the People's Party (formerly the Communist party) in the 9 January election, was detained at al-Ram checkpoint near Jerusalem on Friday after being refused permission to enter the city. Israeli police scuffled with al-Salhi's aides when they tried to pull him free.
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People..
Poll: “Palestinians may not support ending the Intifada
International Middle East Media Center 1/14/2005
The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey in Ramallah, predicted that the popular support to the newly elected Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbasm, doesn't necessarily mean a support to end the Intifada. Professor Kahleel Shiqaqi, head of the center said that the 62% support for Abbas in the elections does not mean that this percentage supports ending the Intifada and resistance against the occupation. The public opinion in the Palestinian society is split over the strategies of the resistance; among the residents who voted for Abbas, there are groups which believe that resistance should continue, and that Abbas should start to conduct the needed reforms in the P.A and its devices.
Abbas will not be able to get us out of this prison
Middle East Online 1/13/2005
Palestinians return to harsh reality in aftermath of presidential elections. -- After three hours of waiting in line at the Qalandia checkpoint under the shadow of Israel's separation barrier, 73-year-old Julia Saabah finally manages to cross to "the other side" and head for her home in Jerusalem. Although she has faith in newly-elected Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, Saabah has little hope he can do anything to save his people from "the wall" which the Palestinians say is turning the West Bank into one huge jail.
Sore winners in Ramallah
BBC 1/10/2005
Abu Muhammad the money changer is sitting at his desk just off Manara Square in the centre of the West Bank city of Ramallah - a day after the Palestinian presidential elections that swept Fatah candidate Mahmoud Abbas into office. After changing a few hundred shekels with him, I remark: "So you voted for Bassam, did you?" "How did you know?" Abu Muhammad snaps, a look of slight panic on his face - until he follows my glance up to the large poster of Palestine People's Party candidate Bassam Salhi on the wall behind him. "Oh yes, that," he says grinning.
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International..
Maliki allies triumph in Iraq provincial polls
Middle East Online 2/19/2009
BAGHDAD - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s allies triumphed in the January 31 provincial polls, final results showed on Thursday, boosting his position in war-battered Iraq after fiercely contested elections.
Candidates backed by Maliki dominated in Baghdad and also won a majority in all nine of Iraq’s Shiite provinces, in a huge vote of confidence for the premier whose standing has grown steadily at home and abroad in the past year.
Just over half of Iraqis voted in the largely trouble-free elections, which were seen as a vital test of the country’s progress since the US-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein from power almost six years ago.
Maliki, a Shiite, did not stand in the provincial council polls but threw his backing behind State of Law Coalition candidates. The polls held in 14 of Iraq’s 18 provinces were seen as a referendum on Maliki’s performance.
Mohammad Khatami criticizes rival Ahmadinejad over Iran’s isolation
The Associated Press, Ha’aretz 2/12/2009
The top reformist candidate in Iran’s presidential race has criticized hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the country’s international isolation. The comments were the first by Mohammad Khatami about the president since Khatami entered the race last weekend. They signaled that his campaign will likely focus on Iranians’ worries that Ahmadinejad’s fiery anti-Western rhetoric has worsened the country’s status in the world at a time when Iran is suffering economic woes. Khatami, a liberal cleric who was president from 1997-2005, told a group of his supporters that the current situation in the country is not desirable, according to Khatami’s Web site. Khatami warned at the meeting late Wednesday that if the situation continues, the country’s social capital and international reputation will be damaged even more.
Iraq’s Parliament fails to elect new House speaker
Agence France Presse - AFP, Daily Star 2/9/2009
BAGHDAD: Iraq’s Parliament remained deadlocked on the election of a new speaker on Sunday, just two days after US Vice President Joe Biden said Iraq needed to push ahead with political reform. The failure is a blow to the fledgling democracy, which without a speaker cannot debate or approve a new budget and oil laws deemed crucial to the reconstruction of the country. There are five candidates vying for the post, but rival Sunni politicians cannot agree on who should get the job. "A group of parties left the hall today and there were not enough MPs to choose a new speaker," said Jamal al-Butikh, chief of the National Iraqi List, the parliamentary group headed by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. Outspoken Mahmoud Mashhadani quit as speaker on December 23, triggering political wrangling over a replacement. He resigned after Kurdish and Shiite MPs clamored for him to go because. . .
Iraq’s Sadrists complain of vote fraud
Middle East Online 2/7/2009
BAGHDAD - Iraqi politicians backed by the cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Saturday said they would lodge an official complaint about votes being excluded during last weekend’s provincial elections.
Allies of Sadr said that preliminary results declared by election authorities were markedly different from estimates compiled by the party’s observers during the hotly-contested vote.
"There is a big difference in some provinces between the figures we have, through our agents and observers, and those that were declared," said Amir al-Kinani, secretary general of the Free Independent Movement, backed by Sadr.
"We will submit the appeal in the results of a number of Baghdad areas and other provinces, including Najaf, Maysan, and Diwaniyah," he said.
The Free Independent Movement finished second in the capital Baghdad with nine percent of the vote, which left them 29 percent behind candidates backed by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
Israel, Iran, Pakistan world’s least popular nations - poll
Jim Lobe, Inter Press Service, Daily Star 2/7/2009
WASHINGTON: Israel, Iran, North Korea and Pakistan are widely seen as exerting the most negative influence on world affairs, according to the latest in a series of annual global surveys by the BBC’s World Service on popular perceptions of the world’s most powerful or newsworthy nations. The survey, which questioned some 13,500 respondents in 21 countries around the world, found that perceptions of Russian and Chinese influence also became considerably more negative during 2008. At the same time, views of the United States, which rivaled those of Israel and Iran just two years ago, continued improving modestly last year but remained predominantly negative despite the victory of Barack Obama in the November 2008 presidential elections. "Though BBC polls have shown that most people around the world are hopeful that Barack Obama will improve US relations with the. . . "
Maliki: Iraq elections ’changed political map’
Middle East Online 2/6/2009
BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Friday that Iraq’s provincial elections had "changed the political map" and were a success for the country’s citizens.
"It is a success for all Iraqis," he told reporters in Baghdad, in his first comments since results showed on Thursday that candidates backed by him had triumphed in fiercely contested polls held six days ago.
"Sure, there are changes to the political map, because the citizens voted to see the changes," said the Shiite premier, who has adopted a notably secular political outlook.
"Iraqis voted based on the programme presented by candidates and not on a sectarian affiliation," he said.
"I am more happy for that than the fact that our list topped the vote. "
Maliki did not stand in last Saturday’s elections but campaigned vigorously for candidates in the State of Law Coalition, who swept the poll in Baghdad and in eight of Iraq’s nine Shiite provinces.
Initial results indicate triumph for Maliki in provincial polls
Agence France Presse - AFP, Daily Star 2/6/2009
BAGHDAD: Iraqi Premier Nuri al-Maliki’s allies triumphed in weekend elections, preliminary results showed Thursday, delivering him a popular mandate after fiercely contested polls in the war-torn nation. Candidates backed by Maliki took the biggest vote in Baghdad and eight of the country’s nine Shiite provinces, in a huge vote of confidence for the premier, whose standing has steadily grown at home and abroad in the past year. Just over half of Iraqis voted on Saturday in the election, which was seen as a vital test of the country’s progress since a US-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein from power almost six years ago. Maliki, a Shiite, did not stand in the election but threw his backing behind candidates from the country’s State of Law Coalition. The preliminary tally released by the Iraqi High Electoral Commission showed that the coalition had a resounding success in Baghdad, achieving 38 percent of the vote.
Arabs heed Obama’s call for change
Alaa Bayoumi, Al Jazeera 2/4/2008
If it were not for Barack Obama, many Arabs would not even bother to follow the results of the US presidential race on Super Tuesday. Such gloomy views could be attributed to Arabs’ negative attitudes toward governments and politics in general. Arabs have been living under authoritarian governments, many of them US allies, for decades. And the US’s traditional support for Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land, coupled with the war on Iraq, has meant Arab mistrust of the US has dipped to new lows in recent years. Against this backdrop, it is easy to see why many Arabs will not be following the latest news from the US presidential primary elections. ’Offensive’ rhetoric Many do not see any serious differences between the Republican and Democratic candidates who are taking part in the race.
Ahmadinejad battles on the home front
Khody Akhavi, Asia Times 2/5/2008
WASHINGTON - Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has garnered headlines around the world for his defiance of Washington, as well as his rhetorical grandstanding on Palestinian issues, Israel and his government’s alleged support of Shi’ite militias in Iraq. Still, it appears that Iran’s parliamentary elections in March will be determined less by debates over the country’s foreign policy than by rising criticism of incompetence and economic mismanagement of conservatives and hardliners in the legislature and in Ahmadinejad’s office." Ahmadinejad is in trouble, not only because his economic policies have not worked; he has managed to antagonize almost the entire Iranian elite because of his exclusivist management style," said Farideh Farhi, an independent researcher on Iran and political scientist at the University of Hawaii.
IRAN: Ahmadinejad Caught Between Reformists and Hardliners
Khody Akhavi, Inter Press Service 1/28/2008
WASHINGTON, Jan 28(IPS) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has garnered headlines around the world for his defiance of Washington, as well as his rhetorical grandstanding on Palestinian issues, the existence of Israel, and his government’s alleged support of Shiite militias in Iraq. Still, it appears that Iran’s upcoming parliamentary elections in March will be determined less by debates over the country’s foreign policy than by rising criticism of incompetence and economic mismanagement of conservatives and hardliners in the legislature and in the office of the president.
"Ahmadinejad is in trouble, not only because his economic policies have not worked; he has managed to antagonise almost the entire Iranian elite because of his exclusivist management style," said Farideh Farhi, an independent researcher on Iran and political scientist at the University of Hawaii.
Mideast press urges action on Gaza
BBC Online 6/14/2007
The Palestinian press makes an urgent appeal for action to prevent the violence in Gaza from turning into a full-blown civil war, urging President Abbas to call a state of emergency and ask for intervention from the region’s Arab states. Papers in the wider Middle East blame the violence on Palestinian leaders and demand fresh elections to resolve the power struggle between the Hamas and Fatah factions. In Israel, commentators ponder how the country should react to the Palestinian infighting, with one advocating a total withdrawal of Israeli troops and settlers from the occupied territories. -
Palestinian AL-QUDS --
It seems we have reached the point of no return in this infighting and are witnessing the beginnings of civil war.
Lebanon factions resume talks
AlJazeera 3/22/2006
Leaders of Lebanon's rival factions have resumed talks on the fate of the country's pro-Syrian president and a UN call for the disarmament of the Hizb Allah group. The talks come amid signs that an agreement remains elusive on the two issues that threaten to destabilise the country. The discussions, which began on 2 March, have focused on a 2004 UN Security Council resolution that calls for disarming Hizb Allah and Palestinian fighters. The resolution also urged new presidential elections. It was passed in September 2004, days before Lebanese legislators extended Emile Lahoud's term for three years.
Chirac vows 'voice of reason' on Iran
Daily Star 3/6/2006
French president labels cartoon row a 'clash of ignorance' -- RIYADH: French President Jacques Chirac said Sunday the West would still reach out to Iran for a deal on its disputed nuclear file, in the first address to the Saudi consultative council by a foreign leader. The president's wide-ranging speech in Riyadh also covered Lebanon, Syria, the Palestinian elections, reform in the conservative monarchy and the "clash of civilizations" between the West and Islam. "In Iran, the voice of reason that France, the United Kingdom and Germany wanted to be heard on the nuclear file has not been heard, for the time being," Chirac told the appointed advisory council, an all-male body of 150 members.
Palestinian Americans Push Religious Pluralism in P.A.
Forward 2/17/2006
WASHINGTON — Palestinian American activists are vowing to lobby Hamas against turning the West Bank and Gaza into an Islamic theocracy. Anxious about the victory of the Islamic fundamentalist group in last month's Palestinian parliamentary elections, Palestinian American leaders say that they will push for laws favoring American-style church-state separation, pluralism, equality and inclusiveness. "We are at the time when defining decisions may very well be made in Palestine," said Ziad Asali, president of the American Task Force on Palestine. The task force is a prominent pro-Palestinian advocacy group in Washington.
Disagreement With Gaza Disengagement Sours Orthodox on Bush
Forward 6/24/2005
As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders this week, cracks were emerging in the coalition of Jewish conservatives that rallied this past November around the claim that President Bush was "the best friend Israel ever had in Washington." Many influential Republican loyalists and non-Orthodox hawks appear to be remaining firm in their support of Bush. But a growing number of Orthodox activists who were avidly courted by Bush in the 2004 election are feeling distinctly dismayed as the administration embraces Israel's Gaza disengagement plan and presses for more aid to the Palestinians.
Elections give hope to Palestinian refugees
Daily Star 6/7/2005
BEIRUT: Palestinian refugees living in squalid and overcrowded camps dare to hope the legislative elections will directly improve their lives. "I have been monitoring the elections to see if they will bring change," said Mohammad al-Daoud, 21, outside Beirut's Chatilla camp where portraits of candidates jostle those of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Some 400,000 Palestinian refugees live in 12 refugee compounds in South Lebanon, where conditions are often harsh and permanent citizenship is denied to all. Fouad Abed, 36, complained that the candidate he was rooting for lost in the first part of the four-stage elections that took place May 29.
El Salvador group opens park in honor of late Palestinian leader Arafat
Ha'aretz 5/25/2005
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador - A new plaza on Jerusalem Avenue was inaugurated Wednesday in honor of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, despite criticism from the Israeli Embassy in El Salvador. "We are making a monument to the maximum leader of the struggle for the liberation of Palestine," said one of the promoters, businessman John Nasser, as the square with a large bust of Arafat was inaugurated. Migrants from Palestine flowed to El Salvador for decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and several families became prominent in business and politics. Both President Tony Saca and his rival in last year's election, Schafik Handal, are sons of families that migrated from the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.
AIPAC Losing this Fight
Electronic Intifada 3/7/2005
Press Release, Council for the National Interest -- AIPAC has been taken aback by new Mideast resolutions. Last month the House and the Senate each passed their own resolutions expressing support for the Palestinian Authority in the wake of their successful presidential elections. The Washington Jewish Week reported that many on the Hill feel the Israel lobby was caught asleep on this one. The problem for the lobby was simple: popular support and optimism after the Palestinian presidential elections took the wind out of any possible grounds for raising opposition to the resolutions.
Arabs warmly welcome Abbas election
Middle East Online 1/10/2005
Analysts, officials hail election of Mahmud Abbas as Palestinian leader, pay tribute to strong voter turnout. -- Arabs gave a warm welcome Monday to the election of Mahmud Abbas as Palestinian leader, admiring a successful exercise in Arab democracy and hoping that a strong voter turnout will bolster his position. Analyst Nabil Abdel Fattah of Cairo's Al Ahram Center of Strategic Studies said the high turnout and the strong result for Mahmud Abbas "gives him the necessary legitimacy for his plans to resolve the conflict" with Israel.
Press Review: 'The hour of truth has arrived'
The Guardian 1/11/2005
Mahmoud Abbas wins but how will events now develop? -- Times, Editorial, January 10 - "After [Sunday's] election ... there was a palpable feeling that something had changed ... Mahmoud Abbas, the pragmatist favoured by Israel and the outside world ... won a triumphant victory ... to succeed the late ... Yasser Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority ...
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PalTel used Optibase streaming platform to cover PA elections
Globes 1/12/2005
Palestine Telecommunications stationed Optibase encoding and streaming stations in Gaza, Nables, Ramallah and Bethlehem to deliver video feeds. -- Optibase (Nasdaq:OBAS) a leading provider of video streaming solutions today announced that PalTel Palestine Telecommunications Co. - Itisalat (PSE:PALTEL) selected its MGW 2000 streaming platform to deliver live news from numerous sites of the Palestinian Authority during the elections which took place on January 9, 2005.
High Court to hear request that jailed Palestinians vote
International Middle East Media Center 1/5/2005
The Israeli High Court of Justice on Wednesday will discuss a petition requesting that the 8,000 Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli jails be allowed to vote in next Sunday's Palestinian Authority chairmanship election. The petition was filed on Monday by the Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs, Hisham Abdul Razek, who protested the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's decision not to allow 8,000 residents of the territories jailed in Israeli prisons to participate in the Palestinian presidential elections.
Israel arrests Palestinian candidates
Electronic Intifada 1/3/2005
In an apparent effort to forestall gains by Hamas in Palestinian elections, the Israeli army has arrested a large number of potential candidates in the southern part of the West Bank. The arrests began shortly after midnight on Saturday in the town of Dura, nearly 50km south of Jerusalem, where the Israeli occupation army arrested an undisclosed number of Islamist leaders. Local sources in the Hebron area said the detainees included Shaikh Nayif Rajub, imam of the town's Grand Mosque, and Shaikh Fathi Amr, a high-ranking official in Hebron's Islamic endowments department....All but one were undeclared candidates in the upcoming elections for the town's municipal council.
PA official to petition High Court against gov't refusal to let Palestinian security prisoners vote
Ha'aretz 1/3/2005
Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs, Hisham Abdul Razek, today will petition Israel's High Court against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's decision not to allow 8,000 residents of the territories jailed in Israeli prisons to participate in next week's Palestinian Authority leadership election in the territories. The petition will argue that the decision discriminates against Palestinian prisoners as compared to Israeli prisoners, who include murderers, rapists and organized crime heads. Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra confirmed yesterday at a discussion held yesterday with senior government and security officials that Israel had decided it had done enough by allowing East Jerusalem residents to participate in the elections.
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