Ref: 02/2006

Date:  05 January 2006

Sourani and Sarraj Meet the Chief EU Observer for the Upcoming PLC Elections

On Wednesday, 4 January 2006, Mr. Raji Sourani (PCHR Director) and Dr. Eyad Sarraj (Director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme) met Ms. Veronique De Keyser, the Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission for the West Bank and Gaza 2006.

Sourani and Sarraj discussed the overall situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), including the pre-elections environment in the OPT.  In addition, the meeting discussed the Israeli threat to bar the elections in occupied East Jerusalem; continued war crimes, incursions, and restrictions of movement; and the continued internal Palestinian security chaos, misuse of weapons, and vigilante violence.

Sourani and Sarraj expressed their concern over the possibility that there are premeditated efforts to escalate the security chaos with the intent to cancel the elections, scheduled for 25 January 2006.

Both stressed the importance of holding the elections on time in order to renew the democratic mandate of the Palestinian leadership.  And they affirmed the importance of local and international efforts to make the elections a success.

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