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Script for program:
In spite of its promise to the U.S. and Europe to help “facilitate” the Palestinian elections, Israel’s occupying forces have been preventing candidates from travelling to different areas to campaign, and have assaulted, arrested and humiliated candidates on several occasions. No candidates have been able to travel to Gaza, where the majority of Palestinians live.
Israeli soldiers physically attacked Mustafa Barghouti, one of the top three candidates, on December 8.
Allam Jarrar, an aide to Barghouti:
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A day later, Israeli soldiers arrested People's Party candidate Bassam al-Salhi at a military checkpoint outside Jerusalem.
Mohammed al-Atar, campaign manager for al-Salhi:
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And in the West Bank town of Dharyieh, four municipal candidates were arrested on December 10 on charges that they belong to the Islamic Resistance group Hamas.
Although US Secretary of State Colin Powell promised Palestinians full American support for elections, and Israel made assurances that it would aid the elections by easing travel restrictions, neither Israel nor the international community appear to be taking any steps to that effect. In fact, Israel has been implementing widespread closures of cities and towns throughout the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza Strip -- in the last week alone, at least 10 Palestinians were killed, 19 injured and at least 49 adults and 12 children were arrested. Major checkpoints were closed on at least eight occasions, inhibiting Palestinians' right to travel, and military invasions were made into Palestinian cities and towns at least 14 times. The level of Israeli military activity has not decreased since the beginning of the presidential campaign and, in fact, has been increasing in some areas of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Mohammed al-Atar:
<..what Israel said is a complete lie ..if the situation continues like this, I don't know how we can have elections...there are checkpoints from town to town...i don't know what israel is talking about when they said they would provide freedom of movement>
The January 9 election will be the second time Palestinians head to the polls to elect a leader. The first election in 1996 had only two candidates, Arafat and Samiha Khalil, a 73-year-old West Bank social worker who won 13 percent of the vote. In this election, seven candidates are actually having to compete for the presidency.
Mohammed al-Atar:
Jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti withdrew from the race on December 12, pledging support for Mahmoud Abbas (also called Abu Mazen) -- the candidate favored by Israel and the United States. Marwan Barghouti was leading in the polls before his decision to withdraw, and he withdrew only on the condition that the PLO, and Abu Mazen, keep their word on certain demands.
Fuad Kokali, a municipal Secretary General of Fatah
<1:00>
The announcement by the Fatah leader came the same day that an attack was made on an Israeli military base in southern Gaza by a Palestinian group claiming both Fatah and Hamas affiliation.
Fuad Kokali:
<:30>
Meanwhile, the militant Hamas organization has decided to boycott the elections.
Sheikh Hassan Yousef:
<:30>
As the Israeli army continues its daily incursions and assaults on the Palestinian people, the question remains whether democratic elections are indeed possible under military occupation.
This report was brought to you by the IMEMC.
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