RAMALLAH, West Bank, 11 January 2005 — The victory of Mahmoud Abbas in Sunday’s Palestinian presidential election has demonstrated to the world that Palestinians have successfully conducted a free and fair election and have achieved a smooth transfer of power. It has also demonstrated how the numerous obstacles imposed by Israeli occupation hinder the normal development of Palestinian civil society.
Palestinians worked diligently to hold a free and fair democratic presidential election under military occupation with little experience, limited resources, lacking precedence in electoral law. And despite serious limitations, East Jerusalem residents managed to participate in the electoral process.
Mahmoud Abbas, who succeeded Yasser Arafat as chairman of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the candidate of the mainstream Fatah party received 62.3 percent of the vote over his nearest rival independent candidate Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a physician and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, who received 19.8 percent of the vote. Abbas, Barghouti, and Peoples Party Candidate Basam Al Salhi were the most visible of the seven candidates on the ballot.
Road closures, permits and ID cards granting freedom of movement, the separation wall, and the almost complete inaccessibility to the Gaza Strip were only some of the obstacles the candidates, the campaign staffs, the observers, the voters, and the Central Elections Commission faced under occupation.
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip was signed on Sept. 28, 1995 in Washington, D.C. The agreement, known as “Oslo 2,” outlines provisions for Palestinians to control their own civil affairs while protecting Israel’s interests.
According to the measures, Palestinians were supposed to be given greater freedom of movement and Israeli troops were to pull out of Palestinian population centers over a 72-hour period before, during, and after the election. Additionally, candidates were supposed to be allowed limited campaigning in East Jerusalem; they were permitted to hang posters and distribute campaign literature, but rallies in public places were prohibited.
In fact residents of East Jerusalem faced the most difficulties participating in the electoral process.
By 8 a.m. on election day eager crowds of potential voters swarmed around the Central Post Office on Salah Al-Din Street, one of six polling stations available to Palestinian residents holding Jerusalem identification cards.
Abbas’ victory was met with an outpour of emotion as supporters began celebrating in the streets of Ramallah as the results of the exit polls were released in his favor on Sunday night, and at several campaign stops he was met with the same type of enthusiasm.
Abbas seems genuinely touched by the passion of his supporters and it is a healthy sign of a new, emboldened leadership.
But can he deliver? This is the question everyone is asking.
Palestinians have suggested it and outside observers that if Abbas is unable to resume successful negotiations with the Israelis to end the military occupation, and if Fatah is unable to reform the Palestinian Authority, a third intifada will erupt.
It is hard to envision this will be the next step for Palestinians considering their acceptance of the democratic process, and the desire for fair negotiations that permeates their dialogue at this time. The Palestinian press has already termed the election a “wedding of democracy.”
— Erica Silverman is a freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.
