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From prison to power in the West Bank
The Guardian 5/13/2005
Hamas triumphs in Palestinian elections -- The freshly elected members of Qalqilya town council are not sure whether their new mayor knows he is about to take office. Wajia Nazal has spent the past three years in Israeli military detention without trial for membership of Hamas. But next week he will be appointed, in absentia, as Qalqilya''s mayor after his party swept aside the once dominant Fatah and won all 15 seats on the town council in Palestinian local elections. "We always intended for Wajia to be mayor as an act of compassion because he is in prison," said one of the new Hamas councillors, Yasser Hammad. "But then he came top in the poll so we had no doubt.
Abbas aide: Elections should be delayed
YNetNews 5/12/2005
Palestinian official says elections for Palestinian parliament should be postponed to after the proposed July 17 date after Fatah activists warn party could otherwise be defeated by Hamas -- RAMALLAH - The Palestinian parliament election, as of now set for July 17, should be delayed, a top Palestinian official said in an interview published Thursday, a sign of growing unease in the ruling Fatah party with electoral gains made by the Islamic armed group Hamas. The call for a delay came from Tayeb Abdel Rahim, a senior aide to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. It was the strongest indication yet that Abbas might postpone the election, despite a promise to Hamas to hold the vote on time.
Qurei denies move to delay election
AlJazeera 5/12/2005
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei has denied that any decision has been taken to postpone the legislative council elections scheduled for 17 July. Qurei''s announcement came on Thursday in response to previous statements by senior officials in the ruling Palestinian Fatah Party indicating that the elections could be postponed. Although no such decision has been announced, party members and advisers said that there are two reasons for seeking a delay. A Fatah official in Rafah, Luay Abdu, told Aljazeera.net on Thursday that pushing back elections was necessary because of the difficulties created by Israel''s expected withdrawal in August.
Local elections in Palestine: a citizen commitment in line with the democratic challenge
ReliefWeb/Council of Europe (COE) 5/11/2005
Ramallah, 05.05.2005 – "A strong commitment, especially of women, young people and the elderly, and in general a good implementation of the election regulations: these are the two main conclusions that we can draw" declared Jean-Claude Frécon, Head of the observation mission of the Congress of local and regional authorities of the Council of Europe. The Congress delegation was represented in Ramallah, Jerusalem, Betlehem and Qalqilya. The delegation concluded that the second phase of the Palestinian local elections in all these areas, the first elections of this kind since 1976, was conducted in conformity with international electoral standards.
Political Sources: Pullout to go ahead in any event
Ha''aretz 5/10/2005
Political sources said that Israel will perform the disengagement plan regardless of the election results in the Gaza Strip, since the move is unilateral, Israel Radio reported Tuesday. The announcement came as Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Monday that if Hamas won July''s Palestinian Authority parliamentary elections, Israel should reconsider carrying out the disengagement plan. "It seems to me unreasonable to move forward with the implementation of the disengagement plan as if nothing had happened and hand over the territories only for Hamas to create there a ''Hamastan''," said Shalom.
Hamas gains Palestinian political clout
Christian Science Monitor 5/9/2005
The militant group won 28 municipal elections in the territories Thursday. -- QALQILYA, WEST BANK – During the past 4-1/2 years, the militant group Hamas has used suicide bombings and rocket launchings to take the lead among Palestinian factions in attacks on Israeli civilian and military targets. But it wasn''t primarily its persistent campaign against the Israeli occupation that won over voters in municipal elections Thursday, which has helped give Hamas enough support to become a potent force in Palestinian electoral politics. Rather, Hamas is capitalizing on the vulnerabilities in Fatah, the party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the dominant force in Palestinian politics for four decades.
Fatah Leads Municipal Vote, Hamas in Strong Show: Results
Islam Online 5/9/2005
RAMALLAH, West Bank, May 9, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas''s ruling Fatah party came out ahead in municipal elections, but the Islamic resistance movement Hamas took key urban centers in a show of strength, official results showed Monday, May 9. Election officials said Fatah captured about 50 of 84 municipal councils in the West Bank and Gaza Strip while Hamas won around 30, including the Gaza border city of Rafah and the West Bank town of Qalqilya, according to Reuters. The official results, which will not be finalized until after an investigation of voting irregularities in some areas, showed Hamas gaining control of six more councils than in an earlier unofficial tally.
‘Preliminary Official Results’ of Palestinian Local Polls Announced
Palestine Media Center 5/10/2005
86% of ‘Registered’ Voters, 37% of Civil Registrar Voters Cast Their Ballots -- Head of the Palestinian Higher Commission for Local Elections Jamal al-Shoubaki announced Monday the “preliminary official results” of the municipal polls, confirming that 86% of eligible “registered” voters and 37% of civil registrar voters cast their ballots on Thursday, which he described as “successful, transparent and fair.” Final official results will be announced after the expiry of a one-week period stipulated by law to settle electoral disputes, Al-Shoubaki said during a press conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Hamas warns of flare-up due to Fatah''s election antics
Ha''aretz 5/9/2005
Senior Hamas officials warned yesterday that the lull seen in the territories since February''s Sharm el-Sheikh summit was in danger due to what they said was "Fatah''s attempt to wreck the local elections." Hamas issued an official statement calling on Egypt "to protect the organization from attacks by Fatah and the Palestinian Authority." The group also threatened that if Israel Defense Forces operations against Hamas operatives were renewed, the calm would certainly be blown apart. A senior source said that the lull would also end if Fatah tried to ruin Hamas'' gains in the local elections or if the ballot for the Palestinian Legislative Council was called off.
Fatah Fends Off Big Hamas Gains in Poll
Palestine Chronicle 5/7/2005
"The polling date was under threat as long as the current parliament failed to approve a new election law.." -- BEIT JALA, West Bank (FT.com) - Mahmoud Abbas’s ruling Fatah movement managed to fend off big gains from Hamas in Palestinian municipal elections, despite a strong showing by the Islamic group, unofficial final results showed on Friday. The Palestinian Election Committee said Fatah won control of 52 of 84 municipal councils across the West Bank and Gaza Strip, to 24 for Hamas. Smaller factions took four councils, with four municipalities undecided.
Hamas: We won more seats than other factions in 34 local councils
International Middle East Media Center 5/6/2005
Hamas leader in Gaza Mahmoud Zahar said Friday that his movement won more seats than all other factions in 34 local council in Thursday''s elections, accusing Palestinian election committee with rushing to declare unfounded results. Zahar stressed that his group won in three major localities; the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, AlBureij refugee camp and the West bank city of Qalqylia city. [end]
Fatah prevails but Hamas gains in Palestinian polls
ReliefWeb 5/6/2005
RAMALLAH, May 6 (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Abbas''s ruling Fatah faction survived a challenge by Hamas in Palestinian local elections but the Islamic militant group opposed to peace with Israel showed it is an increasingly potent political force. Unofficial results released on Friday showed Hamas making strong inroads in key urban centres in the West Bank and Gaza, an indicator it could do well in this summer''s parliamentary ballot, possibly complicating Abbas''s peace efforts. Fatah won control of 52 of the 84 municipal councils being contested in the West Bank and Gaza in Thursday''s vote, while Hamas won 24, the Palestinian Election Committee said. Smaller factions took four councils, and four were undecided.
Hamas mounts bid for Fatah''s crown
BBC 5/6/2005
Initial results suggest that the traditional Palestinian party of power - Yasser Arafat''s Fatah faction - has emerged on top in an important round of local elections in the West Bank and Gaza. But the militant movement, Hamas has again demonstrated that it is mounting a major challenge. Both say they did better than the early results suggest, and there are serious disputes over the outcome in two key Gaza constituencies. But election officials say the initial indications are that Fatah won around 55% of the vote, to Hamas'' 35%.
Fatah prevails but Hamas gains in Palestinian polls
Daily Star 5/7/2005
EU observers say elections were fair -- Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas'' ruling Fatah movement narrowly fended off a strong challenge by Hamas in local elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Friday, with Fatah winning 56 percent and the Islamic militant group 33 percent of the vote. Fatah had feared defeat in Thursday''s elections, but unofficial election results obtained by The Associated Press indicated the party won in 45 of 84 communities. Still, Hamas established itself as a major political player, winning 23 of the contests, including in the three biggest towns up for grabs - Qalqiliya, Rafah and Beit Lahiya.
Fatah survives Hamas challenge
YNetNews 5/6/2005
Mahmoud Abbas’ ruling Fatah movement wins in most municipalities; Hamas boasts impressive showing -- Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas'' ruling Fatah movement came out ahead in the Palestinian municipal election despite a strong showing by the Hamas , final results showed on Friday.The Palestinian Election Committee initially said Fatah won control of 52 of 84 municipal councils across the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Hamas winning 24. However, later it was reported the Hamas scored a victory in the West Bank town of Qalqiliya and in the town of Rafah, in the Gaza Strip.The final tally showed the Fatah movement won in 51 municipalities, while the Hamas won in 28, Palestinian sources told Ynet.
Fatah beats out a strong Hamas in municipal elections
Ha''aretz 5/6/2005
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas'' ruling Fatah movement narrowly fended off a strong challenge by the Islamic militant group Hamas in local elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Friday, with Fatah winning 56 percent and Hamas 33 percent of the vote. The corruption-tainted Fatah had feared defeat in Thursday''s elections, but unofficial election results indicated the party won in 45 of 84 communities. However, Hamas established itself as a major political player, winning 23 of the contests, including in the three biggest towns - Qalqilyah, Rafah and Beit Lahia. Final official results are expected only Sunday but Qalqilyah''s next mayor will likely be from Hamas.
FATAH List Win Al-Rayhia Village Election in Hebron
WAFA 5/5/2005
HEBRON, May 5, 2005 (WAFA) - Palestinian National liberation Movement "FATAH" won the municipality election in Al-Rayhia village in Hebron city, sources said. In a statement issued Thursday, Fatah movement revealed that Abu Jihad list was won the election after Hamas pull out the election. One of Fatah candidates, Ibrahim Tubasi, affirmed that the nine Fatah candidates were won the election after the decision of the Hamas 13 candidates to pull out the election....According to the elections-steering committee, some 400,000 Palestinians were eligible to vote, adding that the turnout was high - 80 percent in Gaza and 70 percent in the West Bank as polls closed at 7 P.M. local time.
Shaath: Elections a Victory for Palestinian People in Light of Israeli Occupation
International Press Center 5/5/2005
GAZA, Palestine, May 5, 2005 (IPC) - - The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Information Dr. Nabil Shaath considered the second stage of the municipal elections a victory for the Palestinian people, especially in light of the Israeli occupation and obstacles before these elections. During a press conference at the International Press Center (IPC) in Gaza, Minister Shaath added that the elections were a step forward on the path of democracy in the Palestinian life, and that there are preparations to hold the legislative elections on July 17, which would be preceded by general elections in universities, unions and associations throughout the occupied Palestinian territories.
Hamas Set to Dominate May Local Polls: Report
Islam Online 5/3/2005
GAZA, May 3, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – With observers expecting the Islamic resistance group Hamas to score big, preparations are in full swing to hold the second phase of the Palestinian municipal elections Thursday, May 5. “Hamas will secure victory in the second phase of the municipal elections, consolidating its landslide victory in the January first phase,” Kamal Al-Astal, professor of political sciences, Al-Azhar University, told IslamOnline.net Tuesday, May 3. Hamas is expected to win 50% of the vote, he said, expecting that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s mainstream Fatah group to show a better performance in the polls to make up for its poor performance in the first phase.
Palestinians vote in litmus test for Hamas
ReliefWeb 5/5/2005
RAFAH, Gaza Strip, May 5 (AFP) - Palestinians were voting Thursday in more than 80 municipalities across the occupied territories in a final test of the radical Hamas movement''s popularity before it contests its first legislative elections. Hundreds of people flocked to cast their ballot in the impoverished town of Rafah, which straddles the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, after polling stations opened around 7 am (0400 GMT). More than 400,000 people are entitled to vote in an election seen as a litmus test of the overall popularity of the radical Islamist movement which entered the democratic process for the first time last December.
Initial results give Fatah edge over Hamas in polls
Ha''aretz 5/5/2005
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas''s ruling Fatah movement led in Palestinian municipal elections on Thursday despite a strong showing by Hamas Islamic militants, preliminary results showed. Exit polls manned by Khalil Shakaki''s Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research at 14 of the 82 central authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip revealed sweeping victories for Fatah in several Gaza Strip authorities, including Rafah in the south, Beit Lahia in the north and Absan in the center. Hamas claimed victories in the El-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza and in the West Bank city of Qalqilyah, where it appears to have won 12 of 15 city council seats.
Fatah takes early lead over Hamas in Palestinian vote: partial exit polls
ReliefWeb 5/5/2005
RAMALLAH, West Bank, May 5 (AFP) - The Fatah party of Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas led the radical Islamic movement Hamas in a tally of forecast victories in some of Thursday''s municipal elections, exit polls showed. The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research predicted results in 14 of the 84 councils being chosen in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Of four councils out of the eight being chosen in Hamas''s Gaza Strip stronghold, the PCRS said exit polls suggested that Fatah would carry three councils and Hamas one.
Fatah to choose list of PLC candidates on May 27
Ha''aretz 5/2/2005
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas'' ruling Fatah party will hold a primary election on May 27 to choose candidates for the summer parliamentary vote, a senior Fatah official said Monday. Fatah, plagued by allegations of corruption after 10 years of rule, is increasingly concerned it will be defeated by the Hamas in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, tentatively set for July 17. By holding primaries, Fatah hopes to select candidates with greater voter appeal, including younger activists. Rauhi Fatouh, speaker of the Palestinian parliament and the head of the Fatah election committee, said the party hoped to register about half a million voters.
Qurei to request PLC to implement Cairo understandings
International Middle East Media Center 4/27/2005
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei agreed on Tuesday to a proposal submitted by a committee representing five major political factions, requesting the Palestinian Legislative Council to made necessary amendments to election bills in compliance to the Cairo understandings. The proposal demands that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Chair of the PLC sign a memorandum that commits the PLC to adhere to what was agreed upon in the Cairo talks, and take necessary steps to ensure that 50% of parlimant seats are elected through national lists.
Registration for Palestinian legislative elections to start on May
ReliefWeb 4/25/2005
GAZA, Apr 25, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The Palestinian Central Elections Committee (CEC) announced on Monday that the registration for the July 17 legislative elections would start on May 7. Ammar Dweik, the executive director of the committee, told reporters that the registration drive would start on May 7 and last for two weeks allover Gaza Strip, West Bank and east Jerusalem. "The committee had already started to prepare for the legislative elections according to the Palestinian elections law that was amended by the Palestinian Legislative Council," said Dweik.
Palestinian politicians eye alliances
AlJazeera 4/25/2005
Various Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) factions are exploring the idea of forming a united nationalist-democratic front to challenge the Islamist resistance group, Hamas, in upcoming elections. The idea was floated recently when Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmud Abbas proposed the entire occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, be considered a single electoral district, very much like the Israeli electoral system. Abbas, who is also head of Fatah - in effect the ruling party of the PA - thinks a united PLO front would put up a serious challenge to Hamas.
Hopes dim as Palestinian president struggles to maintain control
Knight-Ridder 4/20/2005
RAMALLAH, West Bank - To many Palestinians, Mahmoud Abbas is an invisible president. Some say they know their media-shy leader''s in town only when his motorcade whizzes past en route to the presidential compound. His high-profile foreign trips have tapered off, as have his news conferences. Young Palestinians, who''d hoped that Abbas'' victory in the Jan. 9 presidential election would infuse new blood into his Fatah political faction, rarely talk about him these days.... "We have no control to lose," said Ahmed Soboh, a Palestinian deputy information minister...the Israelis are present everywhere on the West Bank. Mr. Sharon is not facilitating the mission of the new Palestinian president."
PLO factions seek unity in elections
International Middle East Media Center 4/21/2005
Palestinian factions under the umbrella of the Palestinian Liberation Organization are conducting extensive talks in an attempt to reach unified coalition in the upcoming legislative elections. A senior Palestinian source said that the factions believe that a unified list will guarantee a considerable majority at the legislative elections, against Hamas. The source also said that the unified list faces big challenges in its elections program which aims to gain the trust of the voters, in addition to the ideological and political differences which separates the PLO factions and the independent figures who enjoy a wide public support.
PFLP, DFLP criticize the new elections law
International Middle East Media Center 4/21/2005
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinian (PFLP), and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestinian (DFLP), criticized the approval of the Palestinian elections law, which ‘disregarded the understandings arrived in the Cairo talks”. The PFLP considered approving one third of the elections list to depend on proportional representation and two thirds on election centers, without any changes to the centers, as disregarding the agreement which was arrived after marathon talks finalized by the Cairo announcement March 2005.
Palestinian elections get Fatah nod
AlJazeera 4/20/2005
Deputies from dominant Palestinian party Fatah have voted to go ahead with legislative elections scheduled for 17 July. Late on Tuesday, they also voted to change the electoral system, Aljazeera reported. Two-thirds of the 132 members of parliament (MPs) voted in favour of a constituency-based voting system, while a third backed proportional representation, ahead of a full Palestinian Legislative Council debate on the issue on Wednesday. Qadura Faris, a Fatah leader and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, told Aljazeera: "If the president has no remarks about the law, it may be effective starting from Wednesday.
Palestinian lawmakers to stick to July 17 election timetable
Ha''aretz 4/19/2005
Palestinian lawmakers from the ruling Fatah party decided Tuesday night to pass a draft election law without amendment, leaving the way open for a parliamentary election to go ahead on July 17, as originally planned. After a meeting of the Fatah caucus of the Palestinian Legislative Council - the Palestinian parliament - senior party official Kadoura Fares said Fatah lawmakers would vote for the bill in a session on Wednesday, and it would then be the responsibility of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas if he decided to order a postponement of the poll.
Analysis / Vote affair tarnishes the PA leadership
By Danny Rubinstein, Ha''aretz 4/17/2005
The members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (the Palestinian Authority''s parliament) knew, of course, that today, April 17, was the deadline for legislating the Palestinian elections law. The legislative process must be completed three months before the elections, which are set for July 17. Seeing as the council did not schedule a meeting for today, theelections cannot take place three months from now and will be postponed. Why do they want to postpone them? Who wants this, and when will it be possible to hold the elections?
Abbas says July vote will go ahead, but others not so sure
Ha''aretz 4/17/2005
In conflicting signals yesterday, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said he intends to hold elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council (the parliament) on July 17 as scheduled, even as other senior Fatah officials publicly announced they may be postponed. Delaying the PLC elections would put in jeopardy the commitment Abbas made to Hamas and other opposition organizations. "We have no intentions or desire to delay these elections," Abbas told reporters at his Ramallah headquarters.
PLC to discuss election law tomorrow
Ha''aretz 4/18/2005
The Palestinian Legislative Council is set to meet tomorrow to discuss the new elections bill, which will then enable the Palestinian cabinet to set a date for elections. The PLC, the Palestinian parliament, was due to meet yesterday, but following consultations in the Fatah bloc in the PLC, it was decided to bring the draft law before the PLC tomorrow instead, and the law may also be put to the vote. The second and third readings of the bill have been delayed for months due to differences of opinion within Fatah and fear that Hamas will garner significant support in the elections for the PLC.
Palestinian parliamentary elections may be delayed
By Khalid Amayreh, Electronic Intifada 4/17/2005
The Palestinian Authority is likely to postpone elections, due on 17 July, in a move that Hamas says would be political meddling by its rival, the ruling Fatah party. Fatah Minister of Parliament Hatim Abd al-Qadir said the postponement was expected to be announced in a few days and that it had more to do with procedural matters than other considerations. "The executive branch of the Palestinian Authority is responsible for the postponement. Brother [President] Mahmud Abbas wants to postpone the elections on the one hand, and, on the other, is trying to blame the lawmakers for this decision." Abd al-Qadir said the delay was a reality, adding that setting a new date would not be possible before a new election law was passed.
PA considering delaying parliamentary elections
International Middle East Media Center 4/15/2005
The ruling Fatah movement is seriously considering a move to delay Palestinian legislative elections, which is scheduled for mid-July, over fears of a solid defeat at the hands of the Islamic movement (Hamas). A source, close to Fatah, said on Thursday that many Fatah leaders are convinced that the movement needs more time to unify lines and raise its popularity among Palestinians. During the past week, Fatah came back strong in elections for students'' councils at both Bir Zeit and Bethlehem universities. The election results encouraged movement leaders to seek more time to prepare for legislative elections.
Hamas poll plan to defeat Abbas
The Australian 4/15/2005
MILITANT Islamic group Hamas has said it aims to topple Mahmoud Abbas''s moderate Fatah movement from the leadership of the Palestinian parliament and is claiming Israel''s planned Gaza pull-out as a victory for Hamas''s campaign of violence. Disclosing the full extent of the group''s ambitions in a rare interview, Hamas''s senior leader in Gaza, Mahmoud al-Zahar, confirmed it would contest seats in Palestinian Legislative Council elections in July - the same month that Israel withdraws from Gaza - and assume cabinet seats if it won. Dr Zahar, 60, said Hamas intended to claim Israel''s withdrawal as a retreat under fire and victory for its campaign of violence.
Islamic Jihad won''t take part in Palestinian ballot
Ha''aretz 4/16/2005
The Islamic Jihad militant group will not field candidates to compete against those from Hamas and Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas''s Fatah faction in an upcoming parliamentary election, a senior leader said on Friday. Islamic Jihad, which like Hamas has spearheaded a campaign of suicide bombings and other attacks against Israelis for years, said it would also not call on its members to boycott the ballot on July 17, as it had done in previous years. "We''re moving towards not participating in the legislative council election, meaning we will not field candidates," senior leader Mohammed al-Hindi told Reuters. "We will not ask our supporters to boycott the election. Voting is optional".
Fatah considers delaying PA legislative elections
Ha''aretz 4/15/2005
Fatah is seriously considering a move to delay the elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council that are scheduled for mid-July. Senior Fatah officials, including Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, are very concerned about the possibility of a solid defeat at the hands of Hamas, according to intelligence sources. Elections to city and local councils in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in recent months have ended in resounding success for Hamas and other Islamic lists; and public opinion polls in the territories indicate a rise in Hamas'' popularity, coupled with doubts as to the PA''s ability to make good on its promises to improve conditions and notch up achievements in the talks with Israel.
Jihad not decided on running in PLC elections
International Middle East Media Center 4/4/2005
The Islamic Jihad Movement said on Monday that it had decided yet on participating in the Palestinian Legislative elections, and that the movement might join the PLO after it is reformed. Mohammad Al-Hindi, a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad, said that the movement urges the residents to register in order to guarantee their voting rights, and added that the movement did not participate at the municipal elections for procedural purposes and not because it apposes the elections.
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 Conflict..
Police close Palestinian voter registration office in Jerusalem
International Middle East Media Center 5/10/2005
Israeli police shut down the East Jerusalem office used by the Palestinian Authority to register Palestinian voters in the city prior to the parliamentary elections set to be held on July 17, Israeli media sources reported. According to Palestinian sources, police detained two officials at the Wadi Joz office from which the Palestinian Central Elections Committee managed voter registration efforts. Police also confiscated documents. Israel denies any right of Palestinians in East Jerusalem to interact with the Palestinian Authority, although it recognized in principle the right of Palestinians in Jerusalem to vote in the PA elections.
Palestinian militants shut Gaza election offices
Yahoo! News 5/8/2005
GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian gunmen on Sunday shut down central Gaza offices registering voters for a parliamentary election due in July, saying they were protesting at losses by the ruling Fatah party in last week''s municipal ballot. -- The action underlined challenges facing President Mahmoud Abbas in his drive to rein in militants and pursue democratic reform, seen by Middle East mediators as essential to launching a peace process between the Palestinians and Israel. Witnesses said 20 masked militants belonging to Abbas''s Fatah movement burst into Central Elections Committee (CEC) premises in central Gaza and closed them "until further notice," ejecting their employees. No violence was reported.
Israel Shoots Dead Two Boys Protesting Its Apartheid Wall
Palestine Media Center 5/5/2005
Second Stage of Palestinian Local Elections Kicks off -- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) shot dead two Palestinian teenagers and Israel''s Security Cabinet decided Wednesday to suspend the handover of security control over three Palestinian regions to the Palestine National Authority (PNA) as Palestinians on Thursday began the second stage of municipal elections for 84 local councils in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The IOF shot dead the two Palestinian cousins, namely Palestinian 14-year-old Uday Aasi and 15-year-old Kamel Aasi as they were protesting Israel’s building of its Apartheod Wall in the village of Beit Loqya west of Ramallah in the West Bank.
Patriarch Sold Al-Quds Land to Remain in Office: Aide
Islam Online 5/1/2005
GAZA CITY, May 1, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The embattled Greek Orthodox patriarch sold lands in Al-Quds (occupied East Jerusalem) to Jewish investors to win Israel’s favor to remain in office, his former financial aid has charged. “The Israeli government refused to approve Irineos''s election as patriarch for two years and alleged that he was close to the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat,” Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted Nikos Papadimas as telling Israeli Haaretz newspaper. “The patriarch wanted to prove to the Israeli authorities that he did not support the Palestinians and the PLO,” added Papadimas, who fled Israel to an unknown destination after the scandal erupted.
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Diplomacy..
Abed Rabbo to Senator Taylor: Sharon Misleading United States
Palestine Media Center 5/12/2005
PLO Concerned over ‘Ambiguity’ of Israel’s Gaza Plan -- The Palestinian leadership is concerned over the “ambiguity” of the Israeli unilateral plan for “disengagement” from the Gaza Strip and that Israel might obstruct the upcoming Palestinian legislative election, member of the PLO Executive Committee Yaser Abed Rabbo told visiting US Senator Bennett Taylor on Wednesday. Abed Rabbo briefed the member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bennett Taylor on the latest Palestinian developments, saying that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is misleading the world public opinion as nothing has changed on the ground since the Sharm el-Sheikh summit on February 8.
Bush Administration Vows To Boycott Hamas Militants Elected in Territories
Forward 5/13/2005
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration "will neither recognize nor engage with" members of Hamas or Hezbollah who are elected to office unless the two militant groups disarm, a top American diplomat told the Forward. David Satterfield, the second-ranking official at the State Department''s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, said that the Bush administration is not attempting to block the groups from participating in Palestinian or Lebanese elections. But, he added, the Bush administration would only recognize armed militant groups "if they lay down their arms." Satterfield''s comments, which appeared to overturn several earlier remarks from the American brass, come as Hamas and Hezbollah officials are vowing to hold on to their weapons.
PNA, Hamas Slam Israeli Interference in Palestinian Affairs
Palestine Media Center 5/11/2005
Israel Closes Palestinian Election Offices in Occupied Jerusalem -- Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei and Hamas on Tuesday “totally” rejected Israeli statements and pretexts to renege on Israel’s unilateral decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, and slammed Israeli interference in Palestinian internal affairs. Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom reiterated calls on Tuesday for a complete rethink on the pullout should the anti-occupation movement Hamas win elections to the Palestinian parliament on July 17. “It would be totally illogical to go on with the withdrawal plan as if nothing had happened,” Shalom told army radio, stressing: “We should not accept a process if it leads to suicide.”
Cracks widen in Israel over Gaza pullout amid spectre of Hamas
Middle East Online 5/10/2005
Pullout will not be cancelled. It is a difficult process but essential for our future: Mofaz. -- Cracks widened in the Israeli government Tuesday over the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon''s camp snubbed calls to freeze the pullout should Hamas triumph in Palestinian polls. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom''s appeals for the plan to be re-thought should the Islamist movement win parliamentary elections in July flew in the face of statements from Sharon loyalists and cabinet ministers. "We should not accept a process if it leads to suicide," Shalom told army radio. "It would be totally illogical to go on with the withdrawal plan as if nothing had happened."
Israel insists Gaza pullout will occur
Daily Star 5/11/2005
Israel''s defense chief on Tuesday shot down a suggestion by the foreign minister that a planned Gaza withdrawal could be derailed if Hamas triumphs in a Palestinian parliamentary election. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom''s appeals for the plan to be re-thought should the Islamist movement win parliamentary elections in July flew in the face of statements from Sharon loyalists and Cabinet ministers. "We should not accept a process if it leads to suicide," Shalom said. "It would be totally illogical to go on with the withdrawal plan as if nothing had happened."
Middle East diplomatic Quartet meets in Moscow
Electronic Intifada/UN News 5/9/2005
Report, UN News -- The Quartet working to restore peace in the Middle East – the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russian Federation – today reiterated its willingness to help Israelis and Palestinians with the hard work and difficult decisions needed to make positive use of what it called a "hopeful and promising moment" for both sides. In addition to signing a ceasefire in February, Israel has pledged to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank in the coming months, while the Palestinian Authority has held elections and promised security sector reforms.
Abbas questions Israel''s belief in democracy
Ha''aretz 5/11/2005
BRASILIA, Brazil - Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas questioned Israel''s belief in democracy on Tuesday after an Israeli official suggested a victory for Hamas militants in Palestinian parliamentary elections could put Israel''s pull-out from Gaza at risk. Abbas criticized a decision by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to postpone the withdrawal from Gaza by three weeks under what he said was the "pretext of religious celebrations in Israel." "Worse than that is that his (Sharon''s) minister of foreign affairs said that there would be no withdrawal from Gaza nor any other city if the Hamas movement wins the elections," Abbas said in a speech at a summit of South American and Arab leaders in Brazil.
FM questions Gaza pullout if Hamas wins PA vote
Ha''aretz 5/10/2005
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Monday that if Hamas won July''s Palestinian Authority parliamentary elections, Israel should reconsider carrying out the disengagement plan. "It seems to me unreasonable to move forward with the implementation of the disengagement plan as if nothing had happened and hand over the territories only for Hamas to create there a ''Hamastan''," said Shalom. Shalom said that the way he sees things today, Hamas will win a majority in the Palestinian parliament in the planned July 17 elections. "Do you think there is a way to negotiate with them while their main goal is to destroy Israel?" Shalom asked.
Sharon: No more prisoner releases
USA Today 5/9/2005
JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told his Cabinet on Sunday that Israel shouldn''t release more Palestinian prisoners until the Palestinian government clamps down on militants, setting off Palestinian charges that Israel is acting in bad faith. Sharon''s tough stance threatened to further weaken Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas as his ruling Fatah party coped with gains by rival Hamas militants in local elections last week. Fatah officials on Sunday accused Hamas of cheating in several key districts.
Israel may reconsider Gaza withdrawal
AlJazeera 5/9/2005
Aljazeera reports quoting Israel''s Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom that Israel will reconsider its Gaza troop-pullout plan if Hamas wins the forthcoming Palestinian elections. Agencies quoted Shalom as saying on Monday that there is no place for Hamas in Palestinian politics as long as the group remains armed. The Palestinian resistance group, which has carried out dozens of bombings in Israel, killing hundreds, is contesting the 17 July Palestinian legislative elections. While it is honouring a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians, it has rejected calls by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to disarm after the vote.
Abbas speaks out on disarming Hamas after July elections
Ha''aretz 4/26/2005
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that he expects Hamas to hand in its weapons after the elections to the Palestinian parliament in the summer. "When a militia turns into a political party, I believe the issue of a need for arms becomes irrelevant," he said, speaking publicly for the first time on the subject. "There will be only one authority, one law and one legal [armed force]," Abbas stated, adding that this had happened many times in history. In response, however, Hamas said it has no intention of disarming in July.
Abed-Rabbo: “Sharon transforms Gaza into a big jail, W. B into isolated cantons”
International Middle East Media Center 4/19/2005
Member of the PLO executive committee Yasser Abed Rabbo warned that Israel seeks to obstruct the Palestinian legislative elections slated for July 17. The statements of Abed-Rabbu came during his meeting with the Russian envoy to the peace process Alexander Kalugin. Abed-Rabbu informed Kalugin of the difficulties the P.A is facing while preparing for the elections, taking in consideration that the elections are scheduled to take place at the same time as the Israeli unilateral ''withdrawal''. Also, abed-Rabbu told reporters that he discussed the vagueness which surrounds the Israeli withdrawal plan, saying that “it is not clear if the withdrawal will be complete with full Palestinian control over the borders, crossings, and seaport, or just a formality”.
Hamas leader: You can''t get rid of us
By Danny Rubinstein, Ha''aretz 4/15/2005
In a public opinion survey conducted by the Al-Mustiqbal Center in Gaza two weeks ago, 52 percent of those surveyed said they would vote for Hamas in the upcoming elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council. Only 13 percent of those surveyed said they would vote for Fatah.All public opinion surveys that have been conducted recently in the West Bank and Gaza indicate this trend. Within two or three days, the Palestinian Legislative Council is expected to complete the new election law and if that indeed happens (something that is not entirely certain), the elections for the Palestinian parliament will take place three months from now on July 17.Sheikh Hassan Yousef of Ramallah, considered the most prominent Hamas figure in the West Bank, is of course familiar with these statistics. Like his friends in the movement''s leadership, he is aware of the fact that suddenly there is a fairly realistic possibility that Hamas will be very successful in the elections and become the largest political movement among the Palestinians. What will Hamas do then? How will it act? Will it form a government? Will it seek to conduct negotiations with Israel?
Israeli Occupation to Shun Contacts with Mayors Connected To Hamas
International Press Center 4/13/2005
GAZA, Palestine, April13, 2005 (IPC+Agencies) ---Israeli sources said that the Israeli occupation authority is intended to refrain a direct contact with the presidents of the local authorities in Gaza Strip who mainly are representatives of Hamas. The issue raised in concern recently during the debates in the Israeli occupation operation command in the occupied Palestinian territories in the light of the number of mayoral and municipal council posts in December''s elections in the Strip and the West Bank. According to the occupation liaison in the occupied territories civil matters in municipalities whose mayors are affiliated with Hamas will be dealt with through the Palestinian Authority and the local authority.
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Israeli police shut two Palestinian electoral offices in Jerusalem
Yahoo! News 5/10/2005
JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israeli police closed two offices in east Jerusalem responsible for registering Palestinian voters ahead of legislative elections in July. Police ordered the offices in the Wadi al-Joz and Bab al-Magharbeh districts of annexed east Jerusalem to close and questioned their employees, an elections commission spokesman said Tuesday. Israeli police were not immediately available for comment. Last Saturday, the Palestinian central elections commission began registering all voters whose names were not previously included on the electoral lists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip ahead of the vote on July 17.
PCHR Calls for Investigation into an Attack on a CEC Office
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 5/9/2005
PCHR is deeply concerned by an attack launched by an armed group on the office of the Central Election Commission (CEC) in Deir al-Balah. The group forced the CEC to close election registration centers in the central Gaza Strip.PCHR calls upon the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to investigate this attack and bring its perpetrators to justice. According to preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 12:30 on Sunday, 8 May 2005, nine members of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade of Fatah movement, seven of whom were masked and armed, raided the CEC office in the Deir al-Balah, which serves the central Gaza Strip.
Preliminary Evaluation of Monitoring over the Second Stage of Palestinian Local Elections
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 5/8/2005
On Thursday, 5 May 2005, Palestinian electors in 84 local communities went to polling centers to elect members of their local council, in the context of the second stage of the elections of Palestinian local councils.These elections came nearly three months following the completion of the first stage, which started on 23 December 2000 in 26 local communities in the West Bank, and was completed on 27 January 2005 in 10 local communities in the Gaza Strip.Thus, Palestinians have been able, so far, to select members of local councils in nearly half the total local councils in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Soldiers Restrict Municipal Elections
WAFA 5/5/2005
GAZA, May 5, 2005, (WAFA)- While thousands of Palestinian citizens poured to the ballots in the second round of municipal elections, thousands others could not because of Israeli restrictions, mainly checkpoints in the West Bank. Director General of Elections Executive Office, Firas Yaghi, said that Israeli soldiers restricted the movement of voters in various constituencies. In a press release, Yaghi said that IOF still installs several checkpoints at the entrances of villages and prevents citizens from reaching ballots and practice their rights to practice democracy. He added that Israeli soldiers delayed the arrival of ballots for several hours in the suburbs of Bethlehem.
PCHR- Election Law Violations Must End
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 4/30/2005
PCHR is concerned at violations of the rules of election campaigning, including those caused by the intervention of Palestinian security services into the election campaigning and those perpetrated by a number of Palestinian partisan entities. On 5 May 2005, elections of 84 local councils in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip will be held in the context of the second stage of local elections.Campaigning for these elections has started since 21 April 2005 and is expected to end on 4 May 2005; that is, 24 hours before the elections.
PCHR Concludes Preparation for Monitoring the Second Stage of Elections of Local Councils
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 4/21/2005
On Thursday, 21 April 2005, the election campaigning for the second stage of elections of Palestinian local councils will start. It will continue until Wednesday morning, 4 May 2005. The second stage of elections will be held on Thursday, 5 May 2005. The Higher Committee for Local Elections had decided that the second stage would include 86 local councils, but elections of two of these councils were postponed. The second stage now, therefore, includes elections of 76 local councils in the West Bank and 8 in the Gaza Strip.
PCHR Calls upon the PLC to Approve the Amended Electoral Law Soon
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 4/10/2005
PCHR is concerned that the amended electoral law to date has not been approved and the opportunity to hold parliamentary elections as determined in July 2005 might have passed. A presidential decree was issued on 8 January 2005 specifying 17 July 2005 as the date for holding Palestinian parliamentary elections.These elections are expected to constitute an important turning point in the Palestinian political regime as Palestinians will be able to select new members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) whose legal term ended in May 1999.
Director of PCHR Meets with EU Middle East Peace Envoy
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 4/7/2005
On Thursday morning, 7 April 2005, Director of PCHR Mr. Raji Sourani received the EU Middle East Peace Envoy Mr. Kerstin Berger at PCHR''s offices in Gaza City. Mr. Sourani discussed with the EU official a number of issues related the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT); the Israeli Disengagement Plan and its political, legal and humanitarian impacts; and the coming Palestinian parliamentary elections. Sourani briefed the visiting EU official on the human rights situation in the OPT, especially in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that Israeli violations of human rights have continued despite the Palestinian commitment to the declaration of a truce.
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Birzeit University Poll on President’s Performance Index (PPI)
Palestine Media Center 4/30/2005
Evaluation of the Ministerial Cabinet -- Main Findings:• The DSP herein presents its President’s Performance Index (PPI). The PPI measures how Palestinians perceive the performance of Mahmoud Abbas – President of the PNA- as measured against his campaign platform. One hundred days after his election, Mr. Abbas’s PPI is 33 out of a possible100 points (33%). • The President received his best approval ratings in the areas of security agencies reform (43%) and improving the status of women in society (40%). • Roughly one-third of poll respondents evaluated the performance of the Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei as weak. Another 33% evaluated the performance of his cabinet as weak....
Fatah and the People''s Party win Bethlehem University Elections
International Middle East Media Center 4/14/2005
The "Jerusalem and Return" coalition that joined Fatah with the Palestinian People''s Party (former communist) won 16 of the 31 student senate seats in Bethlehem University marking a clean victory over the Hamas who won 10.The PFLP won the remaining five seats. As a result of the elections, held on Wednesday, the "Jerusalem and Return" coalition will alone occupy the 11 senate seats at they form over 51% of the total seats. Professor Emanuel Hassassian, Deputy Head of the University announced the results Wednesday evening indicting that the coalition received 823 votes of 1878 eligible voters, whereas Hamas received 491 votes.
In surprise win, Fatah beats Hamas at Bir Zeit University elections
Ha''aretz 4/13/2005
Fatah beat Hamas in student council elections held in the Bir Zeit University in the West Bank city of Ramallah, as the final tally was made Tuesday. The students'' council, which had always been led by Hamas activists was handed over to Fatah, which won 23 seats on the council, as opposed to 22 for Hamas. The voting at the university is thought to be representative of the power struggle between the two organizations, leading up to local elections set to be held in the Palestinian Authority on May 5.
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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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