Bush – adamant about participation of east Jerusalem residents
Photo: Reuters
U.S.: Allow PA Jerusalemites to vote
White House spokesperson makes clear statement on controversial question; Bush wants east Jerusalem Palestinians to take part in elections
America presses Israel: While the Israeli government has yet to formulate an official decision with regards to allowing Palestinians in east Jerusalem to vote in the upcoming PA elections, the American government has already made its stance on the matter very clear.
Bush is hoping the vote will mark a step forward in his vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace, the official added.
According to a white House official, President George W. Bush wants Palestinian elections to go forward as scheduled this month with no delay and thinks Palestinians should be allowed to vote in east Jerusalem.
PA Elections
Ali Waked
Palestinian leader says elections to be delayed unless Jerusalem residents allowed to vote
Notably, Israel has allowed Palestinians to vote in east Jerusalem during the previous 1996 elections. However, Israeli officials stated that a vote that will include Hamas and be held on Israeli territory is unacceptable.
Elections delay in the cards?
The elections in the Palestinian Authority are set to take place January 25, but the possibility of their postponement has been put on the agenda more than once in recent months.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas was the first to raise the issue of pushing back the vote, in light of the chaos in the authority and ongoing disagreements within the Fatah movement regarding the candidates' list for parliament.
After these issues were resolved, Abbas announced that if Israel prevents the vote in east Jerusalem, he will be forced to delay the elections. Hamas members claimed in response that the Fatah leader was using the Jerusalem issue as an excuse to avoid confrontation with the organization.
Officials in Israel and the U.S. fear that an elections delay will lead to an escalation in violence in the area. Meanwhile, Washington has made a point of sending Israel a clear message on the issue.
"It's our desire to see the elections go forward as scheduled," a White House spokesman said.
"We believe that people must have access to the ballot," the spokesman said, adding that "arrangements have been made in the past to ensure that those persons (east Jerusalem residents) can vote and we believe some arrangements should be possible at this time."
Reuters contributed to the report
