Israelis bar Palestinian candidates from canvassing in East Jerusalem

[Thom Little]

Israeli police stopped two leading candidates from canvassing in occupied East Jerusalem on the first day of the Palestinian election campaign Tuesday, prompting new threats to cancel the whole ballot.

.......

Mustafa Barghouti, runner-up in last January's presidential election, and the former peace negotiator Hanan Ashrawi were both attempting to defy a ban on any election activity in the eastern half of the city.

Barghouti was arrested while on a walkabout in the Arab quarter of the walled Old City while Ashrawi, who is a resident of East Jerusalem, was ordered to stop canvassing in the same area.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has already said he will cancel the election scheduled for January 25 unless residents of East Jerusalem can join the democratic process, a threat repeated by his Prime Minister Ahmad Qorei.

.......

Commenting on the Israeli action, Veronique de Keyser, head of a European Union observer mission, said: "I am slightly shocked and it is not a very encouraging sign."


http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=21232

[Wordie]

1. Kinda makes you question Israel's commitment to democracy, huh? nt

[Scurrilous]

2. Ynetnews update (01/08/05):

"Minister Katz says Jerusalem Arabs won’t be allowed to vote in PA elections

Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz told reporters after the cabinet meeting that Israel’s policy towards Jerusalem’s Arab residents remains unchanged and they will not be allowed to participate in the Palestinian elections set for January 25."

[Englander]

3. Where's the outrage? n/t