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Ref: 60/2005

Date: 08 May 2005

Time: 10:00 GMT  

Preliminary Evaluation of Monitoring over the Second Stage of Palestinian Local Elections

On Thursday, 5 May 2005, Palestinian electors in 84 local communities went to polling centers to elect members of their local council, in the context of the second stage of the elections of Palestinian local councils.  These elections came nearly three months following the completion of the first stage, which started on 23 December 2000 in 26 local communities in the West Bank, and was completed on 27 January 2005 in 10 local communities in the Gaza Strip.  Thus, Palestinians have been able, so far, to select members of local councils in nearly half the total local councils in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.  According to Palestinian official sources, the third stage of local elections is expected to be held in the upcoming few months to include the remaining local councils, which have been administered by persons appointed by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).  

According to the Higher Committee for Local Elections, the number of persons who had the right to vote in the second stage of local elections was 400,605 in 84 local communities (130,125 in 8 communities in the Gaza Strip, and 270,480 in 76 communities in the West Bank).  The number of candidates for these elections was 2,509, including 399 women (16%) competing for 906 seats.  In the Gaza Strip alone, the number of candidates was 327, including 59 women (18%).  Law 5 of 2004 was amended, after an intensive campaign by Palestinian civil society (including by PCHR’s Women’s Unit and Democratic Development Unit) to ensure positive discrimination for women; article 28 of the Law prescribes that “wherever women are nominated for candidature, the representation of women in local councils must not be less than two seats to be afforded to those who win the highest number of votes among female candidates.”

Elections of local councils have a special importance as they reinforce the principle for transition of authority through polling boxes.  The most significant step in this context was holding the presidential election on 9 January 2005, and officially declaring 17 July 2005 as a date for holding parliamentary elections.  Many consider local elections very important, as they can rely upon to predict results of the parliamentary elections since all partisan entities that have participated in local elections have declared that they would participate in the parliamentary ones. 

PCHR has always supported initiatives to hold free and fair elections under the PNA.  PCHR, as an accredited local monitoring organization, has played a major role in this regard.  PCHR has monitored the presidential election and the first and the second stages of elections of local councils.  For monitoring the second stage, PCHR has monitored 110 observers, including 41 women, to monitor all stages of local elections in the Gaza Strip, including registration for elections, election campaigning, polling and counting of votes. 

PCHR has closely observed developments and tension related to elections in a number of local communities, particularly in Rafah, where the main competing partisan entities – Fatah and Hamas movements – have exchanged accusations.  The Higher Committee for Local Elections was also accused of bias and unfairness.  The Higher Committee for Local Elections was supposed to declare results of the second stage of local elections on Sunday, 8 May 2005, but this declaration was postponed until Monday, 9 May 2005. 

These latest elections were characterized by complete transparency.  Candidates or their clients or representative were present in polling stations.  PCHR highly appreciates cooperation by the Higher Committee for Local Elections, which issued observation cards for observers and allowed them to monitor all stages of polling and counting of votes.  This fact was observed by PCHR observers.  The Higher Committee for Local Elections also allowed international and local media representatives to cover the electoral process without restrictions. 

PCHR observers recorded a number of violations by competing partisan entities or by candidates and their supporters.  However, the electoral process was conducted peacefully and without major problems that might have damaged the essence of results of fair elections.  A major violation was the continued election campaigning, especially by the main partisan entities that participated in the elections – Fatah and Hamas movements.  For this purpose, they used various means, including employing a number of affiliating local radio stations to campaign for them.  PCHR observers also documented cases, in which members of election committees intervened with electors to persuade them to vote for certain candidates of lists of candidates, in violation of the law.  However, in general, such cases were individual and were coped with immediately by the Higher Committee for Local Elections. 

PCHR also noted that extreme tension spread over a number of polling centers, especially between supporters of Fatah and Hamas movements.  For instance, two citizens were stabbed in New ‘Abasan village and this led to temporarily suspending polling.  In all cases, the Palestinian police was ready to control the situation and restore order at polling centers to maintain the electoral process. 

According to preliminary reports provided by PCHR observers, PCHR is satisfied at the general atmosphere in which all stages of polling and counting of votes took place as they were peaceful and fair.  Although there were some notable, if generally minor, exceptions to this. 

As it did with the presidential election and the first stage of local elections, PCHR will publish a comprehensive report evaluating the second stage of local elections in the Gaza Strip, including violations of the law documented by PCHR observers. 

PCHR would like to seize this opportunity to congratulate the Palestinian people for there commitment to the democratic option, through resorting to polling boxes to select their representatives.  PCHR also congratulates the Higher Committee for Local Elections and its technical staff for their efforts to organize these elections and ensure its fairness and transparency.  PCHR hopes that the Higher Committee for Local Elections will declare official results of these elections according to the counting of votes as it did in the first stage of local election, without being influenced by pressure and charges that aim at undermining its fairness and credibility.  PCHR hopes that the process of democratic reform will continue and more steps will be taken in this regard, including holding elections for the remaining local councils soon, and for the Palestinian Legislative Council on 17 July 2005.         

Public Document

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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893

PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: [email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org