PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS: ELECTION DAY

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000340

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS KWBG KPAL KDEM IS
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS: ELECTION DAY
SITREP # 2 AS OF 12:30 PM, JANUARY 25, 2006

REF: A. JERUSALEM 338

B. JERUSALEM 324

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

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Summary
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1. (C) As of 12:30 pm local time, Palestinian Legislative
Council (PLC) elections continued to go smoothly. There was
media coverage of PA President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and
Hamas leader Mohammed Zahar casting votes in their respective
locations. There continued to be reports of some voting
irregularities, including a report from Rafah of 15 Hamas
women being arrested for using gloves to try and vote twice.
A polling station in Khan Younis was temporarily closed
because of overcrowding. President Abbas met with Senator
Biden and the Consul General early on January 25 to discuss
the possible election outcome, security reform, the formation
of a new cabinet, and next steps with Israel. There were
reports of altercations between supporters of different
parties in East Jerusalem and Hebron. Hamas also was
reported to have set up tents with computers outside polling
stations in Gaza, but PA security forces had dismantled some
of those tents. Members of Jewish extremist group Kahane
Chair were arrested at the polling site in Jerusalem's Old
City, along with two Israeli Knesset members. End summary.
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Elections Continue to Go Smoothly
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2. (C) PDOff reported that, as of 10:35 am, voter turnout at
the Beit Hanina Post Office in Jerusalem (550 eligible
voters) was 20 percent and voting was expected to be
completed by early afternoon. PolOff reported that, at 10:45
am, elections were proceeding smoothly at the Beitunia Girls
School in Ramallah though voter turnout was still light.
Hamas was using five buses to transporting Hamas members to
the polling site, while Fatah was operating one bus. At the
al-Najah School in Ramallah, PolOff reported that elections
were proceeding smoothly there, too, with a steady stream of
voters since polls opened at 7:00 am. A National Democratic
Institute (NDI) election observer there confirmed that there
had been no problems, even with a small contingent of Hamas
supporters at the site. At another Ramallah polling place,
PolOff reported that illiterate voters had been assisted by
family members or friends, with a monitor observing them.
PDOff reported that operations at the Central Election
Commissions' headquarters in Ramallah were proceeding
smoothly in the morning.


3. (C) A USAID FSN based in Gaza reported that Fatah
Campaign Manager Nabil Shaath walked into a polling station
in a refugee camp, accompanied by 5 armed guards. People
outside the station complained about the apparent breach of
election rules, which bar armed personnel inside polling
areas. They noted that an armed Hamas member had peacefully
left the same station earlier when asked to do so by election
monitoring staff.

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Abbas Meets with Senator Biden
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4. (C) Senator Joseph Biden D-DE) and the Consul General met
with President Abbas for 30 minutes during the morning of
January 25. They discussed the possible election outcome,
election security, the formation of the next government, and
working with the GOI post-elections. Abbas described what
had been done so far on reforming the security structure. He
noted the continued PA need for weapons and ammunition.
Abbas said he was ready to work with Acting Israeli Prime
Minister Olmert.

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Some Voting Irregularities
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5. (C) PolOff reported extensive Israeli Police presence at
the Shu'fat Post Office polling station in northern Jerusalem
before it opened but confirmed that the Police dispersed when
the polling station opened at 7:00 am. He reported that the
Israeli police had harassed voters who were worried that they
might lose their residency status in Jerusalem if they voted
at the Shu'fat Post Office. PolOff reported in Ramallah that
political parties were distributing party paraphernalia at
the polling station site.


6. (C) RSO received reports at 11:45 am that Palestinian
Authority Police arrested 15 women members of Hamas in Rafah
City in the Gaza Strip for wearing rubber gloves and
attempting to vote a second time. RSO also reported that
Palestinian Authority Security Forces temporarily closed a
polling station at Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip because it
was too crowded. They plan to reopen the polling station
when order is restored.

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Security Incidents
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7. (C) The RSO reported that at 10:09 am there was a brief
altercation between Fatah and Popular Front for Liberation of
Palestine (PFLP) supporters at the Salah Ed-din Post Office
in East Jerusalem. Israeli National Police broke up the
disturbance five minutes later. The RSO received a report of
an altercation between Hamas and al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigades
members at the El-Mashni School in Hebron.


8. (C) At 10:40 am, the RSO received reports that Hamas
tried setting up tents with computers near polling sites in
the Gaza Strip but Palestinian police subsequently dismantled
the tents. A USAID FSN reported that Hamas was using
computers equipped with databases outside of other Gaza
polling areas; voters provide their ID number, which is
logged, and then Hamas staff direct the voter to the polling
station. The RSO also received a report that five gunmen
from the al-Aqsa Martyrs' brigades were spotted on a rooftop
near one of the polling sites in Rafah in the Gaza Strip.
Police removed the gunmen from the premises.


9. (C) At 10:45 am, the RSO received report that Hamas
members tried to take control of a road near the Sur Bahir
Post Office in Jerusalem, in order to direct voters to the
polling station. The Israeli National Police intervened and
told them that they could not control the road.


10. (C) Members of the Jewish extremist Kahane Chai
organization were denied entry at the Jaffa Gate Post Office
polling site in Jerusalem's Old City, and two members were
arrested, according to RSO reports. The RSO also reported
that Israeli Knesset members Efi Eitan and Arieh Eldad were
also arrested as they attempted to protest at that same site.



11. (C) PolOff reported, at 10:30 am, that a series of shots
were heard near the Aziz Shaheen Girls' School polling
station in Ramallah. He said that some of the PASF members
immediately departed from the polling station to investigate
the shooting.

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Media reports
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12. (SBU) Palestinian and pan-Arab stations continued to
focus on the elections during their mid-morning programs.
All stations reported that voting so far has been calm and
noted the large numbers of PA security forces on hand. All
stations also reported a steady flow of voters to the polls
in all areas. In late morning coverage, the Palestinian and
pan-Arab media election coverage focused on
"man-on-the-street" interviews, as well as
commentary/analysis that noted that the elections process
seemed to be going smoothly.

-- Both PBC and al-Jazeera showed President Abbas casting
his vote at the Muqata in Ramallah, where he encouraged the
Palestinian people to engage in the democratic process and
said that "the next step after the election is the formation
of a government."

-- Al Jazeera carried footage of Hamas leader Mahmoud
al-Zahhar voting in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. The
Al-Jazeera correspondent in Hebron reported that Israeli
forces had forbidden any voting polls to open in the Old City
there.

-- Al Hurra showed coverage of Salah Ed-din Post Office, the
largest voting site in East Jerusalem, where two Islamic
groups were protesting the elections and Fatah supporters
were shouting slogans.

-- PBC, which is interspersing its reports with national
songs that encourage people to vote, reported that Israeli
checkpoints were hindering voters from entering the Abu Dis
area outside of Jerusalem, where there are a number of voting

sites.

-- PBC, al-Jazeera and al-Arabiyyeh all broadcast live a
press conference by CEC chairman Hanna Nasser in Ramallah.
Al Arabiyyeh also showed a special program called "Palestine
Elects" in which analysts and CEC reps discussed the role of
foreign observers in these elections as well as the role of
women in the new PLC. The program noted that more than 900
observers are present, including former President Jimmy
Carter and former Secretary Madeleine Albright.

-- Al-Hurra broadcast an interview with Hanan Ashrawi, who
characterized her "Third Way" party's agenda as flexible and
enlightened.

-- Nile Sat broadcast an interview with Fadwa Barghouthi,
the wife of jailed leader Marwan
Barghouthi. She said, "Even behind bars, Marwan Barghouthi
has a big influence on the Palestinian elections."


13. (SBU) Poloff reported that Senator Biden gave an
interview to al-Quds and al-Ayyam reporters at the al-Najah
School polling station in Ramallah.
WALLES