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Election Irregularities: CEC unable to respond to Barghouthi campaign formal complaint

16 January 2005


Palestinian Central Election Commission unable to respond to Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi’s formal complaint of last-minute illegal changes in Palestinian presidential election regulations. 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). 

Abbas sworn in as PA President

15 January 2005


RAMALLAH, January 15, 2005 (WAFA)- The PLO Executive Committee (EC) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, was sworn in on Saturday as President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) at a ceremony held by the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) at the Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah. In a speech after the swearing in ceremony, President Abass confirmed that “we will remain committed to the PLO’s strategic choice: the choice of achieving just peace and our national goals through negotiations”. 

Israeli forces kill 5 Palestinians in Gaza attack

15 January 2005


Since Saturday morning, Israeli forces have launched a wide scale offensive on Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza city. Israeli forces killed 5 Palestinians and injured five others. This latest attack has come following the closure of all border crossings of the Gaza Strip and decrease the time of opening al-Matahen and Abu Houli checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street, the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip, as an indicator of escalation by Israeli forces in the occupied Palestinian territories. PCHR warns that the presence of Israeli forces in al-Zaytoun neighborhood may cause more casualties among Palestinian civilians and more damage to civilian property. 

Election observer says ball's in Israel's court

Michael Zitz 14 January 2005


The ascension of Mahmoud Abbas puts Israel on the spot, says a University of Mary Washington professor who was an international observer to the Palestinian Authority presidential election. UMW’s Singh said Palestinians were generally “very enthusiastic about this election. They see this as an important step.” According to Electronic Intifada, a Palestinian activist Web site, the actual turnout was 46.7 percent when all eligible voters are factored into the equation. “This is far from the great success that the media and the international peace process industry have trumpeted,” Electronic Intifada said. 

Human Rights Watch World Report 2005: Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories

13 January 2005


The human rights situation in Israel and the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip remained grave throughout 2004, as armed clashes continued to exact a high price from civilians. While many see the period after Arafat’s death on November 11 as the beginning of a new era in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, few changes have occurred on the ground where the wall regime Israel is building inside the West Bank and the illegal Israeli settlements continue to expand. On December 3 a top Hamas leader said that the group would accept the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and a long-term truce with Israel. It remains to be seen whether Israel will make reciprocal declarations and whether words will be translated into action. 

Jerusalemites take to the polls, but not in scores

Joharah Baker 13 January 2005


On the rear windshield of an old Peugeot, a sticker with the faces of Abu Mazen and late President Yasser Arafat gleamed in the Jerusalem sun. “Vote … Abu Mazen for president” the sticker read. For a myriad of reasons, not nearly as many people as could heeded the call in East Jerusalem. According to official statistics provided by the Central Elections Commission on January 10, only 26,365 out of 120,000 eligible voters in the occupied eastern sector of Jerusalem cast their votes for the next president of the Palestinian Authority on January 9. 

The Art of War

Eóin Murray 13 January 2005


There is something about the art of war - not the methodology - but the art, that fascinates. People looking for a way of expressing the misery of warfare. It is, even if it deals directly with the topic of war, a way of escaping or, at the very least coping, with conflict. The real art of Gaza is on the streets, the art of resistance, the art of revolution and memory. Eóin Murray has fond memories of a trip to Derry for his Dads birthday in which they stood by Free Derry corner and were amazed by the amazing power of the house murals which surrounded them. There was a real sense that these murals expressed the fears and memories of the people and, in so doing, assisted them in their struggle for human and civil rights, for peace and for justice. 

Trapped Like Mice: Palestinians under the New Israeli "Disengagement Plan"

Jamal Juma' 12 January 2005


Palestine has been in the headlines of the Western mainstream media again. The preparations leading up to the elections on January 9 have given everyone enough news to cover — or rather: they have given the media enough news to cover up what is actually developing on the ground. But it is this current situation on the ground that will, if it is not stopped in time, more effectively shape the future for the Palestinian people than any electoral process ever could. Jamal Juma’, coordinator of the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, comments. 

The Election Labyrinth of East Jerusalem

Molly Picon East Jerusalem 12 January 2005


January 9, 2005 — Many friends and family in the US have asked me whether or not I thought the Palestinian elections would be conducted in a free and fair manner. Today was an eye-opener with respect to the meaning of ‘free and fair’. Take a deep breath, dear reader, and I will take you through the many twists and turns taken by Palestinian residents of Jerusalem who were trying to vote in the Palestinian Authority elections. Of the 124,000 Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem only six thousand were eligible to vote within East Jerusalem itself due to Israeli imposed restrictions. Molly Picon reports from Jerusalem. 

Palestinian Elections: Exercising Democracy under Occupation

12 January 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), speaking at a 10 January 2005 briefing at the DC-based Palestine Center, were exercising democracy under direct occupation.