Palestinian Authority to Hold First Election in 15 Years

[Frodo]

Palestinian Authority to hold first elections in 15 years

Abbas said in a decree that the parliamentary elections will take place on May 22, and the presidential race will be held on July 31 in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

They will be the first votes of their kind since 2006, when the militant group Hamas won in a resounding victory and set off a clash with Abbas's Fatah Party, thrusting the Palestinian Authority (PA) into a political crisis. Hamas later took control of the Gaza Strip in a bloody fight.

[Chips]

Hope all goes well for them.

[PSOL]

Hamas is in a much weaker position to do much of anything since 2005, even with it having more grassroots support than Fatah.

For one, they are immensely isolated on the international arena, what with the Gulf States cutting back funding to them in favor of a more reconciliatory approach since the 2010s. Hamas then further burned bridges with Iran and Syria by backing the Islamists in Syria, losing a major source of funding, arms, and aid in keeping the peace in the Gaza Strip. Now their major partner that’s left is Turkey, which is already financing other quagmires and is in a serious economic crisis.

Excluding the structural issues of Gaza being under siege by Israel both by sea and land—indeed fishermen in the region often deal with harassment by the Israeli navy—the lack of funding has left the Gaza Strip in awful state. The grand standing by Hamas in 2014 did not help as well. What this has done is left Gazans angry to start prolonged protests against Hamas’s autocratic rule, with Hamas unable to use its campaigns against Israel or providing stability to Gaza as a selling point.

Even worse, the rise of ISIS in Gaza and Iranian funding of PIJ has left the Islamist scene fractured with Hamas now having to deal with inner threats and competition along with the border situation with Egypt, which for several reasons the Military government has closed the border, crippling the economy of the Gaza Strip.

With rising costs, angry populace under its rule, international isolation, and now competition for the same support base, it’s hard to see it get much worse. Only problem it has, with the PA introducing electoral reform to ensure that the absolute victory in the West Bank is impossible. Even with rigging in Gaza, the West Bank might not fall to Hamas, and breaking with the rest of the Palestine here would cripple their support even further. Even if they win a majority, which is possible given that Fatah are corrupt autocrats who’ve failed at building mass support since the death of Arafat, informal power sharing is not negotiable unless they want to risk a civil war.

I have next to no idea what’s happening recently with Fatah, the left wing parties, or the Rightist Arab nationalist camp what with the ever changing reality of 2020 and the lack of polls or even material in English. Most likely the left wing will form a United bloc like they did in the past.

[Samof94]

Hamas is in a much weaker position to do much of anything since 2005, even with it having more grassroots support than Fatah.

For one, they are immensely isolated on the international arena, what with the Gulf States cutting back funding to them in favor of a more reconciliatory approach since the 2010s. Hamas then further burned bridges with Iran and Syria by backing the Islamists in Syria, losing a major source of funding, arms, and aid in keeping the peace in the Gaza Strip. Now their major partner that’s left is Turkey, which is already financing other quagmires and is in a serious economic crisis.

Excluding the structural issues of Gaza being under siege by Israel both by sea and land—indeed fishermen in the region often deal with harassment by the Israeli navy—the lack of funding has left the Gaza Strip in awful state. The grand standing by Hamas in 2014 did not help as well. What this has done is left Gazans angry to start prolonged protests against Hamas’s autocratic rule, with Hamas unable to use its campaigns against Israel or providing stability to Gaza as a selling point.

Even worse, the rise of ISIS in Gaza and Iranian funding of PIJ has left the Islamist scene fractured with Hamas now having to deal with inner threats and competition along with the border situation with Egypt, which for several reasons the Military government has closed the border, crippling the economy of the Gaza Strip.

With rising costs, angry populace under its rule, international isolation, and now competition for the same support base, it’s hard to see it get much worse. Only problem it has, with the PA introducing electoral reform to ensure that the absolute victory in the West Bank is impossible. Even with rigging in Gaza, the West Bank might not fall to Hamas, and breaking with the rest of the Palestine here would cripple their support even further. Even if they win a majority, which is possible given that Fatah are corrupt autocrats who’ve failed at building mass support since the death of Arafat, informal power sharing is not negotiable unless they want to risk a civil war.

I have next to no idea what’s happening recently with Fatah, the left wing parties, or the Rightist Arab nationalist camp what with the ever changing reality of 2020 and the lack of polls or even material in English. Most likely the left wing will form a United bloc like they did in the past.

Back the, they could even made cartoons with Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny ripoffs that sounded like Der Sturmer when it came to Jews.

[dead0man]

Lets hope they vote in some libertarians, the region could finally see peace.

[CumbrianLefty]

Lets hope they vote in some libertarians, the region could finally see peace.

Yes, that will work

[(no subject)]

why did the Palestinian Arabs eventually get swept aside? The Jewish leadership supported both the 1936 Peel Royal Commission report and the 1947 UNSCOP partition plan, both of which would have created an Arab state far larger than anything the Palestinians can now hope to achieve. The Palestinians led by Husseyni (the one who spent the war in Germany urging Hitler to kill all the Jews) rejected both, choosing instead in 1948 to wage a war which they were bound to lose. When you reject all compromise and insist on all or nothing, and then lose, what you get is nothing. I doubt there has been any people in history who have suffered three such catastrophically bad leaders as the Palestinians have had in Husseyni, Arafat and Abbas.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Lets hope they vote in some libertarians, the region could finally see peace.

The closest thing to that is probably the Third Way:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Way_(Palestinian_political_party)

[CumbrianLefty]

Lets hope they vote in some libertarians, the region could finally see peace.

The closest thing to that is probably the Third Way:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Way_(Palestinian_political_party)

Ah, its the 1990s again

[(no subject)]

When Chaim Weizmann first met with Arthur Balfour, Balfour asked Weizmann why the Zionist Organisation had rejected the British offer to settle stateless Jews in Uganda, and were insisting on Palestine. Weizmann asked him: "Would the British give up London to live in Saskatchewan?" Of course not, said Balfour. "But Dr Weizmann, we already have London." Yes, said Weizmann: "And we had Jerusalem when London was a swamp." Which was perfectly true, and greatly impressed Balfour.

[EvilSovereign]

Will the election result actually be recognized by the losing side though? Seems far more likely that the current status quo (division of Gaza and West Bank) simply continues

[PSOL]

Will the election result actually be recognized by the losing side though? Seems far more likely that the current status quo (division of Gaza and West Bank) simply continues

Hamas rejecting the election now of all times would probably lead to a galvanized opposition of them not just among most of the Palestinian people, but in Gaza as well. I would imagine if they would conduct any sort of rejection or rigging of the results, a revolt against them would occur.

[EvilSovereign]

Will the election result actually be recognized by the losing side though? Seems far more likely that the current status quo (division of Gaza and West Bank) simply continues

Hamas rejecting the election now of all times would probably lead to a galvanized opposition of them not just among most of the Palestinian people, but in Gaza as well. I would imagine if they would conduct any sort of rejection or rigging of the results, a revolt against them would occur.

What I meant is that even if Hamas loses the election, their structures in Gaza won't just disappear. I can't really see how the President would reestablish control under those conditions. Even Hamas struggles to keep down the (even) more radical elements of Gazan society, so it would be rather surprising if Fatah actually gains control over the strip

[Former President tack50]

Given it is a piece of land that unlike the west bank has some decent borders and what not, why cam't Gaza and the West Bank be separate entities?

Hell, you could even have a "proper" Palestinian state already in the Gaza Strip if people wanted. It'd be a disaster, but it would be a proper Palestinian state

[PSOL]

Will the election result actually be recognized by the losing side though? Seems far more likely that the current status quo (division of Gaza and West Bank) simply continues

Hamas rejecting the election now of all times would probably lead to a galvanized opposition of them not just among most of the Palestinian people, but in Gaza as well. I would imagine if they would conduct any sort of rejection or rigging of the results, a revolt against them would occur.

What I meant is that even if Hamas loses the election, their structures in Gaza won't just disappear. I can't really see how the President would reestablish control under those conditions. Even Hamas struggles to keep down the (even) more radical elements of Gazan society, so it would be rather surprising if Fatah actually gains control over the strip

I would assume it would most likely be through a barrel of a gun.

[The Houstonian]

Hamas is in a much weaker position to do much of anything since 2005, even with it having more grassroots support than Fatah.

For one, they are immensely isolated on the international arena, what with the Gulf States cutting back funding to them in favor of a more reconciliatory approach since the 2010s. Hamas then further burned bridges with Iran and Syria by backing the Islamists in Syria, losing a major source of funding, arms, and aid in keeping the peace in the Gaza Strip. Now their major partner that’s left is Turkey, which is already financing other quagmires and is in a serious economic crisis.

Excluding the structural issues of Gaza being under siege by Israel both by sea and land—indeed fishermen in the region often deal with harassment by the Israeli navy—the lack of funding has left the Gaza Strip in awful state. The grand standing by Hamas in 2014 did not help as well. What this has done is left Gazans angry to start prolonged protests against Hamas’s autocratic rule, with Hamas unable to use its campaigns against Israel or providing stability to Gaza as a selling point.

Even worse, the rise of ISIS in Gaza and Iranian funding of PIJ has left the Islamist scene fractured with Hamas now having to deal with inner threats and competition along with the border situation with Egypt, which for several reasons the Military government has closed the border, crippling the economy of the Gaza Strip.

With rising costs, angry populace under its rule, international isolation, and now competition for the same support base, it’s hard to see it get much worse. Only problem it has, with the PA introducing electoral reform to ensure that the absolute victory in the West Bank is impossible. Even with rigging in Gaza, the West Bank might not fall to Hamas, and breaking with the rest of the Palestine here would cripple their support even further. Even if they win a majority, which is possible given that Fatah are corrupt autocrats who’ve failed at building mass support since the death of Arafat, informal power sharing is not negotiable unless they want to risk a civil war.

I have next to no idea what’s happening recently with Fatah, the left wing parties, or the Rightist Arab nationalist camp what with the ever changing reality of 2020 and the lack of polls or even material in English. Most likely the left wing will form a United bloc like they did in the past.

Back the, they could even made cartoons with Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny ripoffs that sounded like Der Sturmer when it came to Jews.

Farfour is my favorite cartoon character.

[Samof94]

Hamas is in a much weaker position to do much of anything since 2005, even with it having more grassroots support than Fatah.

For one, they are immensely isolated on the international arena, what with the Gulf States cutting back funding to them in favor of a more reconciliatory approach since the 2010s. Hamas then further burned bridges with Iran and Syria by backing the Islamists in Syria, losing a major source of funding, arms, and aid in keeping the peace in the Gaza Strip. Now their major partner that’s left is Turkey, which is already financing other quagmires and is in a serious economic crisis.

Excluding the structural issues of Gaza being under siege by Israel both by sea and land—indeed fishermen in the region often deal with harassment by the Israeli navy—the lack of funding has left the Gaza Strip in awful state. The grand standing by Hamas in 2014 did not help as well. What this has done is left Gazans angry to start prolonged protests against Hamas’s autocratic rule, with Hamas unable to use its campaigns against Israel or providing stability to Gaza as a selling point.

Even worse, the rise of ISIS in Gaza and Iranian funding of PIJ has left the Islamist scene fractured with Hamas now having to deal with inner threats and competition along with the border situation with Egypt, which for several reasons the Military government has closed the border, crippling the economy of the Gaza Strip.

With rising costs, angry populace under its rule, international isolation, and now competition for the same support base, it’s hard to see it get much worse. Only problem it has, with the PA introducing electoral reform to ensure that the absolute victory in the West Bank is impossible. Even with rigging in Gaza, the West Bank might not fall to Hamas, and breaking with the rest of the Palestine here would cripple their support even further. Even if they win a majority, which is possible given that Fatah are corrupt autocrats who’ve failed at building mass support since the death of Arafat, informal power sharing is not negotiable unless they want to risk a civil war.

I have next to no idea what’s happening recently with Fatah, the left wing parties, or the Rightist Arab nationalist camp what with the ever changing reality of 2020 and the lack of polls or even material in English. Most likely the left wing will form a United bloc like they did in the past.

Back the, they could even made cartoons with Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny ripoffs that sounded like Der Sturmer when it came to Jews.

Farfour is my favorite cartoon character.

Mickey Mouse talking like Hitler is quite surreal indeed.

[(no subject)]

Eeach successive peace plan has offered the Palestinians less, because each time they reject a plan and resort to war, terrorism, intifada and other forms of "resistance", they are defeated and left weaker than they were before. So the next offer is less generous than the one they previously rejected. The Jewish/Israeli response (reflecting Jewish history) has always been to take what they can get and hope for more later. The Arab/Palestinian response (reflecting Arab-Islamic history) has always been to reject all compromise and gamble on all-or-nothing. Since they always lose this gamble, they always get nothing.

[SInNYC]

Will the election result actually be recognized by the losing side though? Seems far more likely that the current status quo (division of Gaza and West Bank) simply continues

Also, will the election result be recognized by the US and Israel (if Hamas wins)? They really didnt when Hamas won the legislature (thus PM) in 2006.