Palestinians in East Jerusalem are neither able to participate in political life in Israel nor in the West Bank.
Although they can vote and run in municipal elections in Jerusalem, they have traditionally boycotted them in protest at Israel’s ongoing occupation and illegal annexation annexation of East Jerusalem [468],and they remain excluded from national elections.
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| Empty polling location in Arab neighborhood |
Most of them are excluded from national elections - the ones who don't become citizens. It wouldn't make sense for non-citizens to vote in national elections! And most of them refuse to become Israeli citizens. So, again, their own decisions are what stops them from full participation in Israeli political life - and Amnesty blames Israel.
In July, Aziz Abu Sarah, 38, a Jerusalem entrepreneur who co-owns MEJDI, a tour group providing “dual narrative” (Palestinian and Israeli) tours of Israel and the West Bank region, was the first to present his candidacy for mayor. He ran as head of the Our Jerusalem party he founded.
But after a few months, Abu Sarah dropped out of the race. ...He was frightened by threats of violence against himself and his family—and it was coming from other Palestinians.
“At a press conference, I was pelted with eggs. On the street, thugs were harassing my family. My character was assassinated on social media, and the mainstream Palestinian press refused to even mention my name, let alone defend me,” he recounts. “I was called a traitor and a collaborator. I had to drop out.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli authorities prevent any Palestinian political presence, including campaigning, in East Jerusalem, and have opposed Palestinian general elections being held in the city, despite this being guaranteed under the Oslo Accords.
A number of Palestinians of Jerusalem will vote in the elections through services rendered in post offices in Jerusalem, in accordance with the capacity of such post offices....(1) Those Palestinians of Jerusalem who will vote in the elections through post offices in Jerusalem shall be notified of the relevant post office by Electoral Registration card provided by the CEC (hereinafter "the electors").(2) On arrival at the post office, electors shall identify themselves to the relevant postal personnel (hereinafter "the personnel") and present their Electoral Registration card.(3) The personnel shall provide the electors with the following:(a) two ballot papers, one for the election of the Ra'ees, and one for the election to the Council; and(b) two envelopes addressed to the DEO.(4) The electors shall mark the ballot papers at the post office counter, then place them in the envelopes to be inserted in receptacles, the size and shape of which shall be agreed between the two sides.(5) At the end of the day, the receptacles shall be promptly delivered to the office of the relevant DEO. Such delivery shall be open to international observers. These receptacles shall be sealed prior to delivery.(6) The DEO shall be responsible for the counting and totaling of votes cast through the arrangements set out above as part of the total election count.
In other words, they are putting absentee ballots in post offices where they are secured and delivered to district election offices in the territories. And for those who insist on voting in person at an actual polling location, they can travel not very far to go there.
Israel didn't stop elections in Jerusalem under Oslo rules. Abbas insisted allowing full voting sites in Jerusalem, and canceled the elections using the excuse that Israel wouldn't allow it.
Abbas wanted to go against Oslo - not Israel.
Amnesty lies.
These are hardly the biggest lies and misrepresentations of the truth in Amnesty's document. After all, I just picked one page.
But if it was so easy to prove "apartheid," why does Amnesty have to twist the facts so much?
(To choose my next article on the report, I'll use a random number generator to choose the page.)
