Palestinians reject European offer to hold Jerusalem election online

The Palestinian Authority cares about the principle of physically opening polls in east Jerusalem rather than ensuring people’s ability to vote in the legislative election next month, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh explained to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday.

“Some European diplomats proposed to have online elections in east Jerusalem,” Shtayyeh said. “The issue is not numbers; it is political. It has to do with Israeli recognition that Palestinians in east Jerusalem have the right to vote and stand for elections.”

The PA has said they may delay or cancel the May 22 election, as Israel has yet to respond to its demand to hold the vote in Jerusalem. Several EU member states called on Israel to allow Jerusalem Arabs, who have ID cards issued by Israel but are not citizens, to vote in the election.

Israel has declined to do anything to support the election, but is also not moving to prevent it. With PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement deeply divided, paving the way for a possible Hamas victory, Israel does not want to be involved in bringing the terrorist group to power, while not wanting to be blamed by the world for blocking the vote.

With the Palestinian refusal to hold the vote without Israeli cooperation in Jerusalem, Israel is taking some of the international flack, despite its hands-off approach.

Shtayyeh accused the Jewish state of “trying to spoil the elections,” calling on Europe to “exert pressure on Israel. Call on the Israeli government and pressure them to respect signed agreements.” 

He said Israel has not been allowing voter registration drives or polling places in east Jerusalem and did not give visas to EU election observers, arguing that the behavior goes against agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. 

Still, Shtayyeh said, the PA is prepared for the election to happen.

“The train has left the station,” he said.

The PA prime minister expressed hope that the election will end the Fatah-Hamas divide and “bring democracy back on track” for the Palestinians.

If Hamas is part of the government, they will have to adopt the PLO political platform of “passive resistance,” Shtayyeh said. 

Shtayyeh also called on the EU to base its ties with Israel “on human rights and international law” and make it “pay a price for occupation” and “destructive measures making a two-state solution impossible.”

“We are very keen to engage with Israel based on international law,” he said, lamenting that “Israel controls our land, borders and water.”

Asked about the Palestinian petition against Israel in the International Criminal Court, which led to an announcement earlier this year that the court would investigate alleged war crimes by Israel, Shtayyeh said: “The ICC is not a Palestinian invention. The ICC recognized that Israel has committed criminal acts… Europe needs to support the international system.”

In addition, Shtayyeh said that Israel is responsible for vaccinating Palestinians against COVID-19, but also said that the PA rejected offers of vaccinations from Israel. 

Israel has, in fact, vaccinated over 100,000 Palestinians, though the Oslo Accords state that health is the PA’s responsibility.