The Palestinians are supposed to embark on an exercise of democratic reform today. But, it’s not going to happen.
Last year, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced his intention of holding legislative and presidential elections today. However, Hamas (which one the 2006 elections and seized control of the Gaza Strip following obstruction by the PA) intended to boycott the elections in Gaza, thereby effectively ceding a victory to the PA-ruling Fatah party. Abbas said he would not run for President, a move that shocked the international community and now seems like a moot point. The Palestinians are still divided, elections will not be held as a result, and there is no indication that Palestinians will reconcile any time soon.
The lack of Palestinian unity has compounded various international efforts. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has made fostering Palestinian reconciliation one of his raison d’etre, to no avail. His failure on this front as well as a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas has been somewhat of an embarrassment for a leading Middle Eastern statesman who faces increased domestic opposition and continues to fail on the international front (albeit, he has clamped down on terror by arresting militant in Sinai, but that move was largely of self-interest).
No Palestinian unity has also compounded the peace process, with Israelis often contending there is “no one to talk to” because the Palestinians are divided. Moreover, it is unclear whether an eventual peace plan will govern relations with the West Bank and Gaza, or just one of the two.
Further, who will lead the Palestinians over the next decade? Abbas threatened to quit but will probably not go anywhere in the near future. A Hamas takeover of the entire government would potentially ruin peace prospects. Further, Marwan Barghouti is still in Israeli prisons, there is no indication of his release, and the failed prisoner swap talks failed late last year and will likely not commence for a few months, at the earliest.
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights released criteria today that should be met to fulfill a fail and democratic election. The pro-democracy non-governmental organization criticized the lack of formal elections but also called out both Fatah and Hamas for not reconciling. The criteria are:
1) While supporting holding presidential and legislative elections on their due dates, PCHR stresses that elections can never be held without the finalization of national reconciliation and taking necessary measures to ensure that elections are free and fair.
2) Not holding the presidential and legislative elections on their due dates does not mean that a legal vacuum has emerged in the PNA, but the democratic process is undermined, as the public authorization offered by the Palestinian people in the 2005 presidential election and the 2006 legislative elections is not endless, rather it expires by 24 January 2010. From now on, no one can claim democracy or the representation of the public will, as all must go back to the people for a new authorization.
3) The debate over elections is not only legal, as it is part of the ongoing political conflict. The two parties of the conflict have employed the Basic Law and relevant laws for narrow partisan interests, and the philosophy and spirit of the process of legislation have been ignored.
4) Elections are not merely a goal, rather they are part of a long-term process to establish a democratic regime and process, and periodic elections are a cornerstone of such process.