Palestinians have responded to Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir’s proposal for elections in the Israeli-administered territories with deep skepticism, but less than total rejection.
Hanna Siniora, editor of the East Jerusalem daily A1-Fajr, said Sunday that elections in the territories, as proposed by Shamir last week in Washington, would not lead to a resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
“Elections might come later on, when there is a dialogue between the government of Israel and the PLO,” said Siniora, who has insisted that only the Palestine Liberation Organization can represent the Palestinians.
Shamir has repeatedly ruled out Israeli talks with the PLO, and Palestinians have refused to accede to his desire to find alternatives to it.
But Israeli policy-makers are saying that Siniora and others who speak similarly are articulating only the opening Palestinian position. Israeli leaders hope the United States will pressure the PLO to soften its stand on the issue.
Police Minister Haim Bar-Lev told the weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday that Palestinians in the territories have every objective reason to end the status quo. Therefore, he suggested, they will come to reason and take the necessary steps that will lead to comprehensive peace.
Israel and the PLO are each caught in a dilemma. Israel wants elections in the territories, to bypass its rejection of the PLO as a possible negotiating partner.
PLO LEGITIMACY AT STAKE
However, Israeli leaders are well aware that free elections would give legitimacy to pro-PLO representation.
At the same time, whereas the PLO leadership regards such elections as an Israeli attempt to keep the organization out of the political game, it recognizes that elections could give the organization legitimacy, as it appears certain that PLO supporters would emerge the victors.
Visiting the Congo last weekend, PLO leader Yasir Arafat said he would agree to the elections if the Israel Defense Force withdrew from the territories, and if the elections were held under international supervision.
Arafat’s view was echoed by Palestinian Professor Sari Nusseibeh of Bir Zeit University. He said elections would be possible only if part of a bigger scheme, which would include an imminent Israeli withdrawal from the territories and the convening of an international conference.
The East Jerusalem press carried editorials and statements by prominent Palestinians last weekend, all dismissing Shamir’s proposals as a ploy aimed at avoiding talks with the PLO and creating an alternative leadership.
Editorials expressed disappointment at the U.S. administration’s support for Shamir’s proposals.
The Palestinian rejection came before it was even clear to the Israelis themselves what form the elections would take.
Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Labor has proposed political elections to select negotiators for peace talks with Israel. Justice Minister Dan Meridor of Likud has proposed municipal elections in the territories, thereby excluding the 125,000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem.
Rabin told the Cabinet Sunday that no preparations for the elections will be made before the Cabinet makes up its own mind on the issue.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
