12-23-05,9:10am
PCHR Calls upon the International Community to Support Holding the Palestinian Parliamentary Elections on Time
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights is increasingly concerned over the future of the upcoming Palestinian Parliamentary elections, which are supposed to be held in January 2006, in light of Israeli threats to prevent holding these elections in Jerusalem on one hand, and the deterioration in the Palestinian internal security on the other hand.
Israeli media sources reported on Wednesday, 21 December 2005, that Israeli officials informed the Head of the EU Monitoring Team over the Palestinian elections that Israel would not allow holding elections in East Jerusalem due to Hamas' participation in these elections. If Israel implements its threats in this regard, the elections will be canceled or postponed according to a statement by the President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
The participation of residents of East Jerusalem in elections is very important, and their deprivation of this right would undermine chances to hold parliamentary elections on 25 January 2006. Even though the Jerusalemites participated in the Palestinian presidential election in January 2005, and in the general elections of January 1996 under strict conditions through Israeli post offices according to the Oslo Accords, their participation in elections is very important for Palestinians as it emphasizes that Jerusalem is an integral part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), which will be a capital for a future Palestinian state.
In the meantime, the internal Palestinian arena has witnessed further deterioration, particularly with regard to the security chaos and the misuse of weapons, which was recently demonstrated in the kidnapping of the director of the American International School in Gaza and his deputy. In addition, the ruling party of the PNA, Fatah movement, has internal problems. It has failed to run the upcoming elections with one united list. These differences inside Fatah movement impacted offices of the Central Election Commission, which have been recently subject to several attacks.
Israeli Occupation Forces have also escalated their attacks on Palestinian civilians in the OPT. On Thursday morning, 22 December 2005, IOF extra-judicially executed 3 Palestinian in Nablus, when they moved into the city and besieged and opened fire at a building. In addition, the Israeli government threatens to wage wide scale military operations in the Gaza Strip.
In light of the Israeli threats and the deteriorated Palestinian internal conditions, the atmosphere preceding the upcoming Palestinian parliamentary elections seems to undermine the possibilities of holding elections on time. The international community is therefore called for intervening:
1. To pressurize Israel to stop its threats to prevent holding elections in Jerusalem like other areas in the OPT.
2. To emphasize that Palestinian parliamentary elections must be held on time with the participation of all Palestinian factions in order for the Palestinian people to be able to select their representatives freely.
3 Palestinians Extra-Judicially Executed by IOF in Nablus
On Thursday morning, 22 December 2005, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) extra-judicially executed 3 Palestinians in Nablus. This attack was the second of its kind in less than 24 hours, as IOF extra-judicially executed a Palestinian in Jenin on Wednesday afternoon.
According to preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 03:00 on Thursday, 22 December 2005, IOF moved into Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus. They besieged a 4-storey, under-construction building. At approximately 03:45, they opened fire at the building. The IOF gunfire continued until 06:00. A Palestinian ambulance arrived at the area, but IOF did not allow the medical crew to enter the building until 08:30. The medical crew found 3 bodies and transported them to Rafidya Hospital. IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the area, claiming that 3 other militants were able to escape from the building. According to paramedics, guns were found near the victims' bodies, and two Israeli soldiers treaded onto the bodies. PCHR's field worker in Nablus reported that the three victims were hit by several live bullets to the upper part of the body. The victims were identified as:
1. Bashar 'Abdul Latif Hanani, 22, from Beit Fourik village east of Nablus, the leader of the Abu 'Ali Mustafa Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine;
2. Ahmed 'Abdul Ra'ouf Khaled al-Jayousi, 22, from Jayous village northeast of Qalqilya, a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah movement; and
3. Anas Ahmed Mahmoud al-Sheikh Hamad, 22, from Sineeria village southeast of Qalqilya, a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
PCHR strongly condemns this latest attack and:
1. Asserts that this latest escalation that includes actions and reactions is the outcome of decisions taken by the Israeli political and military establishments two week ago to wage military campaigns against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), including extra-judicial executions and arbitrary arrests.
2. Warns of the damagers posed by military operations conducted by IOF on the lives and property of Palestinian civilians.
3. Calls upon the international community to meet its responsibilities, and calls particularly upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to fulfill their obligations under the Convention to ensure protection for Palestinian civilians in the OPT, and stop crimes committed by IOF.
