NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Palestinian presidential election, 2005

The 2005 Palestinian presidential election — the first to be held since 1996 — took place on January 9, 2005 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Voters elected PLO chairman Mahmoud Abbas as the new President of the Palestinian Authority to replace Yasser Arafat, who died on November 11, 2004. The President of the Palestinian National Authority is the highest-ranking political position (equivalent to head of state) in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). ... Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: Ù…ØÙ…ÙˆØ¯ Ø¹Ø¨Ø§Ø³) (born March 26, 1935), commonly known by the kunya or nom de guerre Abu Mazen (Ø§Ø¨Ùˆ Ù…Ø§Ø²Ù†), was elected President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on January 9, 2005, and took office on January 15, 2005. ... The Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority is the head of government of the Palestinian government. ... Ismail Haniya (more frequently Haniyeh) (born 1963) (Arabic: Ø¥Ø³Ù…Ø§Ø¹ÙŠÙ„ Ù‡Ù†ÙŠØ©) is the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority. ... This is the list of members of the Palestine cabinet that was formed by Ismail Haniya on March 17, 2007. ... The Palestinian Legislative Council, (sometimes referred to to as the Palestinan Parliament) the legislature of the Palestinian Authority, is a unicameral body with 88 members, elected from 16 electoral districts in the West Bank and Gaza. ... The Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council is the chairman of the Palestinian Legislative Council. ... Abdel Aziz Duwaik is a member of Hamas and the new Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council and member from the West Bank. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... Elections in the Palestinian National Authority gives information on election and election results in the PNA. Palestine elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. ... On January 20, 1996, elections took place in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem for President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), and for members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislative arm of the PNA. The 1996 elections took place in a moment of optimism in... On January 20, 1996, elections took place in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem for President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), and for members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislative arm of the PNA. The 1996 elections took place in a moment of optimism in... Wikinews has news related to this article: Hamas wins Palestinian election On January 25, 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). ... Map showing governorates and areas of formal Palestinian control (green) After the signing of the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian territories were divided into three areas and 16 governorates under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian National Authority. ... The 16 Governorates of the West Bank and Gaza Strip are divided into 16 electoral districts (Aqdya, singular - qadaa). ... The Palestinian Declaration of Independence, led to Palestines recognition by 93 countries and to the renaming of the PLO mission in the UN to Palestine. After the formation of the Palestinian Authority, many countries exchanged embassies and delegations with it. ... Israel, with the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is often claimed to be at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict, is an ongoing dispute between two peoples, Jewish Israelis and Arab Palestinians, that both claim the right to sovereignty over the Land... Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton, and Yasser Arafat during the Oslo Accords on September 13, 1993. ... ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... January 9 is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic Munazzamat al-Tahrir Filastiniyyah منظمة تحرير فلسطينية ) is a political and paramilitary organization of Palestinian Arabs dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state to consist of the... Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: Ù…ØÙ…ÙˆØ¯ Ø¹Ø¨Ø§Ø³) (born March 26, 1935), commonly known by the kunya or nom de guerre Abu Mazen (Ø§Ø¨Ùˆ Ù…Ø§Ø²Ù†), was elected President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on January 9, 2005, and took office on January 15, 2005. ... The President of the Palestinian Authority is the highest-ranking political position (equivalent to head of state) in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). ... The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ... Not to be confused with Yasir Arafat (cricketer). ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Seven candidates contested the election. Abbas won over 62% of the votes cast, with independent Mustafa Barghouti coming second, on just under 20%, and the remaining candidates far behind. Mustafa Barghouti Mustafa Barghouti (also often written Mustafa Barghouthi, Mustafa Al Barghuthi, Dr Barghuthi; born 1954) is a Palestinian democracy activist. ...

The election was boycotted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. In the Gaza Strip, where Hamas is strongest, it is estimated that about half of the eligible voters voted. Hamas (Arabic: ; acronym: Arabic: , or Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or Islamic Resistance Movement; the Arabic acronym means zeal) is a Palestinian Islamist organization that currently (since January 2006) forms the majority party of the Palestinian National Authority. ... Islamic Jihad (Arabic: â€Ž, Harakat al-Jihad al-Islami) is a terrorist Islamist group based in the Syrian capital, Damascus. ...

Early stages of the campaign: nomination and withdrawal of Marwan Barghouti

Two weeks after the death of Arafat, Fatah nominated former PNA prime minister Mahmoud Abbas (also known as Abu Mazen) as its candidate, despite his relative lack of popular appeal. Palestinian Legislative Council member and Fatah leader in the West Bank Marwan Barghouti, who was in prison in Israel after being convicted for a number of intifada killings, suggested that he might run, inspiring considerable speculation about his prospects. He was seen as the only candidate who could hope to compete seriously against Abbas. However, his proposed candidacy met with resistance from Fatah activists. Fatah (Arabic: ); a reverse acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (literally: Palestinian National Liberation Movement) is a major secular Palestinian political party and the largest organization in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a generally secular multi-party confederation. ... The Palestinian Legislative Council, (sometimes referred to to as the Palestinan Parliament) the legislature of the Palestinian Authority, is a unicameral body with 88 members, elected from 16 electoral districts in the West Bank and Gaza. ... Marwan Barghouti Marwan Barghouti ( Ù…Ø±ÙˆØ§Ù† Ø§Ù„Ø¨Ø±ØºÙˆØ«ÙŠ born June 6, 1959) is a Palestinian leader from the West Bank and a leader of the Fatah movement. ... For other uses, see al-Aqsa (disambiguation). ...

After successive contradictory announcements, Marwan Barghouti declared his candidacy just before the registration deadline expired but then retired from the race on December 12 after discussions between his representatives and the Fatah leadership. With his withdrawal, Mahmoud Abbas was seen as the clear favourite, with Mustafa Barghouti in second place. December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 19 days remaining. ... Mustafa Barghouti Mustafa Barghouti (also often written Mustafa Barghouthi, Mustafa Al Barghuthi, Dr Barghuthi; born 1954) is a Palestinian democracy activist. ...

Opinion polls before Marwan Barghouti withdrew his candidacy suggested that the contest would largely be a two-horse race between him and Mahmoud Abbas. Details of some of these polls are as follows:

Final list of candidates

Three other candidates who registered by the end of the registration period subsequently withdrew: they were Marwan Barghouti, Hassan Khreisheh and Abd al-Sattar Qasim. Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: Ù…ØÙ…ÙˆØ¯ Ø¹Ø¨Ø§Ø³) (born March 26, 1935), commonly known by the kunya or nom de guerre Abu Mazen (Ø§Ø¨Ùˆ Ù…Ø§Ø²Ù†), was elected President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on January 9, 2005, and took office on January 15, 2005. ... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic Munazzamat al-Tahrir Filastiniyyah منظمة تحرير فلسطينية ) is a political and paramilitary organization of Palestinian Arabs dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state to consist of the... Fatah (Arabic: ); a reverse acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (literally: Palestinian National Liberation Movement) is a major secular Palestinian political party and the largest organization in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a generally secular multi-party confederation. ... November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Mustafa Barghouti Mustafa Barghouti (also often written Mustafa Barghouthi, Mustafa Al Barghuthi, Dr Barghuthi; born 1954) is a Palestinian democracy activist. ... ... The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) (Arabic Ø§Ù„Ø¬Ø¨Ù‡Ø© Ø§Ù„Ø´Ø¹Ø¨ÙŠØ© Ù„ØªØØ±ÙŠØ± ÙÙ„Ø³Ø·ÙŠÙ† - al-jabhah al-sha`biyyah li-tahrÄ«r filastÄ«n) is a Marxist-Leninist, nationalist Palestinian political and military organization, founded in 1967. ... Marwan Barghouti Marwan Barghouti ( Ù…Ø±ÙˆØ§Ù† Ø§Ù„Ø¨Ø±ØºÙˆØ«ÙŠ born June 6, 1959) is a Palestinian leader from the West Bank and a leader of the Fatah movement. ... Taysir Khalid is a member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). ... The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ø¬Ø¨Ù‡Ø© Ø§Ù„Ø¯ÙŠÙ…ÙˆÙ‚Ø±Ø§Ø·ÙŠØ© Ù„ØªØØ±ÙŠØ± ÙÙ„Ø³Ø·ÙŠÙ†, transliterated Al-Jabha al-Dimuqratiya Li-Tahrir Filastin) is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist political and military organization. ... Bassam Al-Salhi is a member of the Palestinian Peoples Party. ... The Palestinian Peoples Party (PPP, in Arabic ØØ²Ø¨ Ø§Ù„Ø´Ø¹Ø¨ Ø§Ù„ÙÙ„Ø³Ø·ÙŠÙ†ÙŠ Hizb al-Shab al-Filastini), founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist Party, is a socialist political party in the Palestinian territories and among the Palestinian diaspora. ...

The election campaign

The election campaign faced problems due to the widespread blockade of the Palestinian territories by the Israel Defense Forces. Despite Israel's assurances that it would do what it could to ensure that the election took place, in many instances Israeli forces actively interfered in the campaign. Among reported incidents was the arrest of Mustafa Barghouti by Israeli forces and his subsequent expulsion from East Jerusalem when he was going to hold an election speech there. He was also prevented from entering Nablus and Gaza. Bassam al-Salhi, candidate for the socialist Palestinian People's Party, was also prevented from visiting East Jerusalem. The Israel Defense Forces are part of the Israeli Security Forces. ... Mustafa Barghouti Mustafa Barghouti (also often written Mustafa Barghouthi, Mustafa Al Barghuthi, Dr Barghuthi; born 1954) is a Palestinian democracy activist. ... East Jerusalem is that part of Jerusalem which was held by Jordan from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War until the Six-Day War in 1967. ... Map of the West Bank, with Nablus in the center north. ... Bassam Al-Salhi is a member of the Palestinian Peoples Party. ... Socialism is a social and economic system (or the political philosophy advocating such a system) in which the economic means of production are owned and controlled collectively by the people. ... The Palestinian Peoples Party (PPP, in Arabic ØØ²Ø¨ Ø§Ù„Ø´Ø¹Ø¨ Ø§Ù„ÙÙ„Ø³Ø·ÙŠÙ†ÙŠ Hizb al-Shab al-Filastini), founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist Party, is a socialist political party in the Palestinian territories and among the Palestinian diaspora. ...

Many of Abbas' opponents claimed that they were unfairly treated as Israel denied them entry to areas Abbas was allowed to visit during the election campaign. Abbas was the only candidate allowed access to Gaza.

Conduct of the polling

The election was marked by difficulties in accessing polling stations. In Khan Younis Israeli soldiers opened fire against a school used as a polling station and by roadblocks prevented thousands of people from getting to the polling stations. [1] There were also some technical problems including those due to the incomplete electoral register. Persons not listed on the electoral register were permitted to vote on presentation of a valid identity card. Voting was controversially extended for two hours beyond the appointed closing time, apparently at the request of Fatah; the head of the electoral commission subsequently resigned in protest. Khan Yunis (Arabic: خان يونس) is a city/refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. ...

The election was observed by number of international observers included former President Jimmy Carter and U.S. Senators Joe Biden and John E. Sununu. For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... This article is becoming very long. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... Joseph Robinette Joe Biden, Jr. ... John Edward Sununu (born September 10, 1964) is a United States Senator from New Hampshire. ...

The European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana criticized Israel for obstructing the Palestinian presidential election. He was quoted as saying that "We expected the Israelis to offer more facilities for the Palestinian election process but they did not live up to promises." [2] Javier Solana Francisco Javier Solana Madariaga (born July 14, 1942 in Madrid, Spain) is the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Secretary-General of both the Council of the European Union (EU) and the Western European Union (WEU). ...

Results

Mahmoud Abbas won the election, with over 62% of the votes cast. 70% of those listed in the electoral register voted; however, it should be noted that over 30% of eligible citizens were not registered.

Full results released by the Central Elections Commission (CEC) on 12 January 2005 [3]: January 12 is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: Ù…ØÙ…ÙˆØ¯ Ø¹Ø¨Ø§Ø³) (born March 26, 1935), commonly known by the kunya or nom de guerre Abu Mazen (Ø§Ø¨Ùˆ Ù…Ø§Ø²Ù†), was elected President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on January 9, 2005, and took office on January 15, 2005. ... Fatah (Arabic: ); a reverse acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (literally: Palestinian National Liberation Movement) is a major secular Palestinian political party and the largest organization in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a generally secular multi-party confederation. ... Mustafa Barghouti Mustafa Barghouti (also often written Mustafa Barghouthi, Mustafa Al Barghuthi, Dr Barghuthi; born 1954) is a Palestinian democracy activist. ... The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ø¬Ø¨Ù‡Ø© Ø§Ù„Ø¯ÙŠÙ…ÙˆÙ‚Ø±Ø§Ø·ÙŠØ© Ù„ØªØØ±ÙŠØ± ÙÙ„Ø³Ø·ÙŠÙ†, transliterated Al-Jabha al-Dimuqratiya Li-Tahrir Filastin) is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist political and military organization. ... Bassam Al-Salhi is a member of the Palestinian Peoples Party. ... The Palestinian Peoples Party (PPP, in Arabic ØØ²Ø¨ Ø§Ù„Ø´Ø¹Ø¨ Ø§Ù„ÙÙ„Ø³Ø·ÙŠÙ†ÙŠ Hizb al-Shab al-Filastini), founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist Party, is a socialist political party in the Palestinian territories and among the Palestinian diaspora. ...

Turnout

A total of 775,146 ballots were cast in the January 9 poll according to an official statement from the CEC giving the vote totals for each candidate in the election. (CEC Statement on the 2005 Presidential Election," CEC, 10 January 2005)

At the end of polling, the Head of the CEC, Dr Hanna Nasir, told the media that "Approximately seventy per cent of registered voters voted today ... While approximately only ten per cent of unregistered voters turned out." Dr. Hanna Nasir (Arabic: ØÙ†Ø§ Ù†Ø§ØµØ±) is a Palestinian academician and political figure. ...

The CEC had made enormous efforts to register all eligible Palestinian voters in the run up to the election, but almost a third of eligible voters did not register or were unable to register. In an effort to boost low turnout, the CEC made a highly contested decision in the final hours of polling day to allow unregistered voters to cast ballots using only their identity cards, which raised fears of multiple voting. A Palestinian election official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that the changes came after heavy pressure from Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, which feared a low turnout could weaken Abbas. ("Abbas Wins Palestinian Vote in Landslide," Associated Press, 10 January 2005).

The day before the election the total number of registered voters was 1,092,407 according to a CEC press release. ("Central Elections Commission (CEC) Upcoming Presidential Elections: Facts and Statistics," CEC, 8 January 2005)

However, in a November 23 statement, the CEC explained: "The number of registrants on the voters’ list reached 1,111,868, or 67 percent of the estimated number of eligible voters, during the registration process conducted between September 4 and October 13, 2004. Of these names, 19,000 were removed from the voters’ list because the accompanying data was incomplete or the names were repeated on the list. With this adjustment, the number of registered voters decreased to 1,092,856." ("46% of Registered Voters are Youths, 46% are Women," CEC, 23 November 2004)

Exclusion of Diaspora Palestinians

In addition to the low turnout among Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, Palestinians living as refugees and exiles outside the territories were excluded from participating in the election. According to UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees there are 2.6 million Palestinians registered as refugees with the agency making them eligible to receive services who lived outside Palestine, in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. An unknown additional number sometimes estimated to be up to one million live in the diaspora in Europe, North and South America and in other Arab countries. In contrast to the elections held in Afghanistan and Iraq, no effort was made by the international community to allow these exile communities to participate in the election, and due to Israeli restrictions the vast majority of exiled Palestinians were unable to travel to the Occupied Territories to vote or stand as candidates. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was established to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees. ...

International response

U.S. president George W. Bush said the election marked an essential step toward the goal of statehood and promised to help the new president in a renewed push for peace talks with Israel.^{[citation needed]} Abbas was also congratulated by Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, who telephoned him after the results were announced. Sharon also reiterated his call for the new Palestinian leader to invest efforts to end attacks on Israelis.^{[citation needed]} The EU also praised the election, with European Commission president José Manuel Durão Barroso describing it as "a very important step towards the creation of a viable and democratic Palestinian state". [4] Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic - President George Walker Bush (R) - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik ×Ö¸×¨Ö´×™×§) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ... The Commission seat in Brussels The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive body of the European Union. ... JosÃ© Manuel Duroso BarrÃ£o, GCC (pronounced: IPA, ) (born in Lisbon, March 23, 1956) is a Portuguese politician and the 11th President of the European Commission. ...

External links

Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 2005 elections | Elections in Palestine The International Middle East Media Center (or IMEMC) is an independent news organisation run by Palestinians living in the Israeli-occupied territories, working together with international journalists, who report on events in both Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Palestine. ... On January 20, 1996, elections took place in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem for President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), and for members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislative arm of the PNA. The 1996 elections took place in a moment of optimism in... Image File history File links Flag_of_Palestine. ... On January 20, 1996, elections took place in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem for President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), and for members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislative arm of the PNA. The 1996 elections took place in a moment of optimism in... Wikinews has news related to this article: Hamas wins Palestinian election On January 25, 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). ...

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