Palestinian Elections Need To Succeed This Time

Daily Star Editorial

The Arab-Israeli conflict is the longest running confrontation of its kind

in the world, well over a century old in political terms, and over half a

century old in terms of warfare. Never has a single conflict had so much

diplomatic effort invested in it with so few successes to show for it, and

therefore any potential move that could help show a way out of the

stalemate is to be welcomed. Just such a possibility may have emerged this

past weekend with the double announcements that the Palestinians would hold

simultaneous presidential, parliamentary and municipal polls in spring

2005, and that three hard-line political groups which boycotted the last

elections would participate this time. This could be a turning point for

the Palestinians themselves and also for the Palestinian-Israeli peace

process - but only if the elections help to rectify some of the glaring

weaknesses on the Palestinian side that have reared their head since the

first legislative and presidential elections after self-rule were held in

1996.

Genuinely free and fair elections contested by all political factions could

provide a Palestinian government characterized by attributes that the

current government lacks: It could truly reflect its own public opinion,

manage society efficiently and honestly and thereby reduce corruption and

increase citizen confidence in the future, and meaningfully engage the

Israelis, Arabs, Americans and others in a manner that would push them all

toward a fair negotiated resolution of the conflict. That would be a

welcomed far cry from the current Palestinian governance system which is in

shambles, with its president ostracized by two key parties - the US and

Israel - and not treated much more warmly by his Arab colleagues who should

be his main partners.

Elections are a way out of this mess for the Palestinian people and

leadership. The fact that the elections will be contested by three groups

that boycotted the last polls - Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front

for the Liberation of Palestine - sets the stage for an election with more

integrity, and a potential governing coalition that represents all major

factions in the country. A key factor here, though, will be the acceptance

of systems of accountability among the three branches of government,

especially the president respecting the will of Parliament and the letter

of the law, which is not always the case today. The Palestinians should

work overtime to make these elections a resounding national success, for

their own well-being but also to push the process of credible popular

sovereignty throughout an Arab world still distorted and constrained by

stifling autocracy in almost every land.

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Source: The Daily Star, September 6, 2004

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