Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem will vote through Israeli post offices in upcoming legislative elections, scheduled for May 22, in a move that is said to have received international consensus.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s adviser on international and foreign relations, Nabil Shaath, said any Israeli objection would be unacceptable. “We will face it by all means,” Shaath said.
He added that the Palestinian Authority had “obtained an international consensus for holding elections in the city of Jerusalem through post offices,” but did not provide additional details on where the backing had come from.
Former Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad plans to participate in the upcoming Palestinian legislative elections. What does his entry into the election campaign mean? https://t.co/SiTG2KhthC by @daoudkuttab
— Al-Monitor (@AlMonitor) March 13, 2021
It is unclear whether international bodies such as the United Nations have signaled their support.
Concerns have spread among Palestinians that Israel might block polls in East Jerusalem following the US recognition of the city as Israel’s capital in 2017 and amid preparations for Israeli elections due to be held on March 22.
Palestinians in the occupied territories will this year head to the polls to elect a new parliament and president for the first time since 2006.
Legislative polls will be held in May, while the presidential election is set for July.
#AlQudwa: ‘It’s Time for #Fatah Leaders to Stand against #Abbas’ https://t.co/7fp6BcM0Jv via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/slmHggRGV7
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 13, 2021
Prior to the 2006 Palestinian elections, Israeli officials tried to obstruct voting in East Jerusalem, which was illegally annexed by Israel in 1967 and is under Israeli civil and military control.
Israeli police also arrested campaigners for Hamas and closed at least three Hamas election offices in East Jerusalem during the campaign.
Unofficial estimates indicate that about 340,000 Palestinians live in occupied Jerusalem.
(The New Arab, PC, Social Media)
