Municipal elections scheduled to be held in Nablus on Tuesday will definitely take place despite attempts to intimidate the candidates by agents from Jordan and terrorist elements. Four of the ten candidates who announced last week that they would not run, reversed themselves last night. Eight new candidates registered, taking the place of the six who bowed out. There are ten council seats to be filled.
Some 17,000 Arab voters in ten West Bank towns and villages are expected to go to the polls to choose mayors and councilmen from among more than 100 candidates. This is the first time elections will be held in these communities since the Six-Day War. Observers believe that the outcome may have important political consequences and may indirectly influence the chances of a Mideast settlement.
The Nablus politicians, including incumbent Mayor Haj Mazouz el Massri, acted after Defense Minister Moshe Dayan said the Israeli military would take over administration of the West Bank town if the elections were cancelled. A public meeting attended by 50 Nablus leaders last night ended with a call to the local population to take an active part in the elections. The registration of candidates, which had ended two weeks ago, was extended through tomorrow to allow new candidates to register.
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