Palestinian official: “Elections under occupation happens only once”
Fatah Central Committee member Azzam al-Ahmad, affiliated to the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said “National liberation movements elections was held under the shadow of occupation only once, and without Arafat death, we wouldn’t held 2006 elections.
He added “We were forced to repeat the electoral process”
Al-Ahmad’s statements came in light of expectations that PA President Mahmoud Abbas would disrupt the Palestinian elections scheduled for next May, which is rejected by the majority of Palestinian political forces.
Al-Ahmed added “To repeat elections under occupation outside of these agreements mean recognition of the legitimacy of the occupation and its perpetuation”
He said that “we held the first parliamentary elections in 1996, only once, and President Yasser Arafat refused to hold the elections again after it ended in 1999.
According to Azzam Al-Ahmad, the Liberation Organization, has declared that there will be no elections and has extended the tenure of President Arafat and in the Legislative Council until further order.
“Now the matter has become complicated, they want the authority to remain, but not by their standards, we consider Oslo has ended by Israel since the II Camp David, Al-Aqsa intifada (Palestinian uprising)” when they denied it, Al-Ahmad said.
At the same time, a diplomatic source said that PA President Mahmoud Abbas would most likely postpone the upcoming Palestinian elections.
added: “We expect the elections to be postponed, but it will cost Abbas dearly”.
Palestinians are due to go to the polls for the first time in 15 years on May 22, the last Palestinian national elections were held in 2006, when Hamas defeated Abbas’s Fatah movement by an overwhelming majority.
He also added “If Abbas decides to postpone the elections, the Palestinian president will likely justify his decision with Israel’s on allowing Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem to participate in the electoral process as a justification, but there is little likely anyone to believe it.
Palestinian leaders, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders will meet on Thursday to decide whether the elections can be held without Israel formally allowing Palestinians in Jerusalem to participate.
Opponents of the PA president have in recent days accused Abbas, who is unpopular and fears political defeat, of using Israel’s tacit refusal to delay the elections.
