PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS SITREP

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000190

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG PBTS IS KPAL KDEM
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS SITREP
#7: JANUARY 17, 2006: ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS DISCUSS
TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF JERUSALEM VOTING


Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. Palestinian and Israeli officials met
January 16 to work on technical issues relating to voting in
East Jerusalem. Officials discussed the possibility of
issuing 6,000 tickets to East Jerusalem residents to allow
them to vote at designated post offices. Both sides are
scheduled to meet January 17 for additional talks. There is
no resolution yet to an Israeli demand that Hamas not appear
on ballots in Jerusalem. Palestinian Authority (PA)
President Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) January 15 reportedly
ordered PA Security Chiefs to defend polling stations with
force, if necessary. Israeli Police arrested Hamas
candidates January 15 who attempted to hold a press
conference in Jerusalem's Old City. End summary.

Technical Discussions Held
Over Jerusalem Voting Modalities
--------------


2. (C) Representatives from the Central Elections
Commission (CEC) and the PLO Negotiations Support Unit
January 16 met in Jerusalem with officials from the Jerusalem
Police, the Israeli Postal Service, the IDF, and the Ministry
of Justice to discuss modalities for Palestinian voting in
East Jerusalem. According to Palestinian contacts,
discussions focused on the need for an "open" voter list
since no registration was conducted for East Jerusalem
residents. The representatives considered a plan whereby
6,000 tickets would be distributed to Jerusalem residents on
a first-come, first-serve basis to vote in one of six post
offices. The majority of tickets (3,500) would be issued for
the Salah al-Din Post office, with remaining 2,500 tickets
dispersed evenly (500 apiece) for the other five post
offices. Tickets would be issued in advance of Election Day
at special CEC offices set up for this purpose. (Note: The
proposed ticketing system is designed to avoid the confusion
faced by Jerusalem voters during the January 2005 PA
Presidential elections. End note.)


3. (C) Jerusalem Police Chief Major General Franco, who
attended the January 16 meeting, informed the Palestinian
side that he would consider easing movement restrictions
across checkpoints on Election Day to allow access for East
Jerusalem residents who cannot vote at the post offices to
polling centers outside of Jerusalem. Franco added that he
would raise these issues with senior Israeli Government
officials and provide responses during a scheduled January 17
meeting. (Note: The representatives agreed to defer
discussion of the Israeli demand that Hamas not be listed on
the ballots in Jerusalem. End note.)


4. (C) PA Minister of State Hind Khoury complained to the
Consul General on January 17 that Israeli restrictions on
campaigning and voting were discouraging voters in Jerusalem.
The continued uncertainty about election modalities has
confused voters and delayed the CEC's voter education
program. Khoury commented that the Israelis are not even
allowing the "1996 arrangements" to be used, noting that
Jerusalem municipal employees are removing campaign posters
as quickly as activists post them. Factions have been fined
for using billboards set aside by the municipality for the
election because they don't obtain the required permits in
advance.

Abu Mazen Tells Security
Chiefs "To Defend Elections"
--------------


5. (C) During a January 15 meeting with PA security
chiefs, Abu Mazen reportedly gave instructions that security
forces secure the PLC elections by force, if necessary. Abu
Mazen said that he knew of groups and individuals who would
attempt to sabotage the election process, but he nonetheless
expected the PASF to be prepared for any eventuality. He
indicated that he had accepted the security plan submitted to
him by PA Minister of Interior Nasser Yusif. (Note:
Palestinian factions rejected a MOI proposal to put aside
their weapons in the run-up to and during the PLC elections.
End note.)

Hamas Candidates
Detained In Jerusalem
--------------


6. (C) Israeli Police January 15 arrested Hamas
candidates, running on the "Change and Reform" list, who
attempted to conduct a press conference near an entrance to


the Old City. The candidates were released from custody on
January 16. Elsewhere in Jerusalem, Israeli Police raided
the campaign offices of the al-Badil national list ("The
Alternative", a coalition of the DFLP, Palestinian People's
Party, FIDA, and independents),confiscating documents and
arresting five activists. In the West Bank, the IDF arrested
approximately 49 Palestinians January 14-16 in several
localities, including Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Jenin, and Hebron.
Hamas claimed that 15 of its activists arrested in Tulkarm
and Qalqilya included several involved in campaign activity
in the Northern West Bank.

Fatah Ramps Up
Campaign Activity
--------------


7. (C) According to Palestinian contacts, Fatah campaign
activity increased in recent days, with candidates organizing
rallies and town-hall style meetings. Fatah candidates
running in the district races have begun to appear at
meetings together. Fatah activists have also been observed
affixing posters, tickers, and photos of Fatah candidates
running on the national list and in the districts. At least
29 Fatah-affiliated independent candidates have indicated
their intention to withdraw from the district races, a move
that could improve prospects of the "official" Fatah
candidates. (Note: There are more than 100 Fatah-affiliated
independents remaining in the district races. End note.)

Summary of Local
Press Coverage
--------------


8. (SBU) Al-Quds January 17 led with a report that
European officials were unhappy with Israeli attempts to
prevent Hamas from participating in the PLC elections. A
statement issued by the European Commission January 16
announced that such actions threatened the democratic process
in the Palestinian territories. All three Palestinian
dailies reported that Secretary Rice recently said that
Hamas' participation in any new government might harm
Washington attempts to support the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state. Rice was also quoted that any
new Palestinian government must respect the spirit and rules
of the Quartet Roadmap.

-- Al-Quds reported that Gaza Hamas leader Mahmud al-Zahar
said that Hamas has not made a decision yet on its
participation in a Palestinian government following the
legislative elections.

-- Al-Quds reported that the Israeli authorities prohibited
Palestinians from holding a meeting January 16 in the Old
City of Jerusalem to support candidates, despite Israel's
decision to allow campaigning in Jerusalem.

-- Ma'an News reported that Shaykh Nafiz Azzam, an Islamic
Jihad leader, reiterated the movement's boycott of the PLC
elections, clarifying that members of Islamic Jihad will not
participate in the elections either as candidates or as
voters.

-- Palestinian WAFA news agency reported that three Jerusalem
candidates and some of their supporters were assaulted and
arrested by Israeli security forces on January 15 as they
were campaigning in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Op-eds:

-- Al-Quds ran an op-ed by Anwar Khaled Badr, who wrote that
Hamas members are planning to drastically change their
ideology and tactics after the elections.

-- Al-Quds ran a political cartoon depicting a balloting box
as a tomb, with the word "Jerusalemites", and surrounded by
cactus plants and barbed wire along with a Palestinian flag
on the side.

January 13-16 Summary
of Local Press Coverage
--------------


9. (SBU) In a January 15 press interview reported in
al-Quds, al-Ayyam, and al-Hayat al-Jadida on January 16, PA
President Abbas expressed happiness that Palestinian
democracy is moving forward and growing. Abbas told the
three dailies that the Palestinian security forces have
developed a plan to protect ballot boxes and that he


personally informed security forces not to allow any armed
persons, including body guards, to stand close to these
boxes. Abbas also said that he would not run for a second
term as president.

-- Al-Quds reported January 16 that, despite an Israeli
decision to allow campaigning in Jerusalem, Israeli police
closed down Hamas campaign offices in Jerusalem on January 15
and arrested four Hamas candidates.

-- Al-Quds January 15 reported that President Abbas rejected
any external intervention in the PLC elections and expressed
his opposition to threats launched by the U.S. in severing
assistance to the PA should Hamas participate in a future
government.

-- Al-Quds carried a front page interview with Sa'ed Siam, a
Hamas candidate in the Gaza Strip, who indicated that the
Hamas electoral program centers on change and reform in the
political, economic, social, health, and education areas. In
a related report, Hamas leader and PLC candidate Isma'il
Hanniyah announced to the press that a major European country
is willing to deal with Hamas should it win in the elections.

WALLES