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Palestinian-Israeli election arrangements detailed by Minister Urayqat
Al-Jazeera TV, Doha
20 Dec 04
Text of telephone interview with Palestinian Negotiations Affairs
Minister Sa'ib Urayqat, in Jericho, by presenter Lina Zahr-al-Din;
broadcast live by Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV on 20 December
[Zahr-al-Din] I have with me from Jericho Dr Sa'ib Urayqat, Palestinian
minister of negotiation affairs. Dr Sa'ib, could you please give
us further details on the proceedings of this [Palestinian-Israeli]
meeting? Did you discuss security issues?
[Urayqat] The meeting centred on adopting the same arrangements made
for the 1996 elections. The main emphasis was on the city of Jerusalem
and the sons of our Palestinian people in East Jerusalem. There was
also discussion of the election campaign, the candidates' election
campaign centres, the polling stations in the city of Jerusalem -
the Armenian neighbourhood, Salah Al-Din Street, Shu'fat, Bayt Hanina,
Al-Tur - and the role of international observers in these campaigns.
We also stressed to them that the arrangements preceding the elections
are not only for the polling day. The arrangements include the
registration of voters [and] the candidates; the election programmes
and campaigns; and the movement of the candidates, their agents and
party members in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the areas in between,
including Jerusalem.
Therefore, we asked that the situation be restored to what it
was before 28 September 2000. This means guaranteeing a halt to
assassinations, incursions and arrests; the removal of roadblocks;
and the lifting of the closure. We want international observers to
have a greater role in this respect.
We agreed in principle that the arrangements should be the same as
those made for the 1996 elections. There is, however, a need for an
expanded meeting to be attended by security men and professionals in
such fields as statistics. We agreed to hold this meeting within the
next two days.
[Zahr-al-Din] So we can say that you received guarantees that the
residents of East Jerusalem would vote without Israeli conditions.
[Urayqat] Yes, we asked the Israeli side to announce in a clear,
official statement that the status of the Palestinian citizens
in East Jerusalem who would participate in the elections would
not be harmed. This is because there are [Israeli] threats to use
the identity cards and privileges [of East Jerusalem residents to
blackmail them]. We hope that the Israeli government will announce
this as soon as possible.
[Zahr-al-Din] Thank you very much.
Al-Jazeera TV, Doha
20 Dec 04
Text of telephone interview with Palestinian Negotiations Affairs
Minister Sa'ib Urayqat, in Jericho, by presenter Lina Zahr-al-Din;
broadcast live by Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV on 20 December
[Zahr-al-Din] I have with me from Jericho Dr Sa'ib Urayqat, Palestinian
minister of negotiation affairs. Dr Sa'ib, could you please give
us further details on the proceedings of this [Palestinian-Israeli]
meeting? Did you discuss security issues?
[Urayqat] The meeting centred on adopting the same arrangements made
for the 1996 elections. The main emphasis was on the city of Jerusalem
and the sons of our Palestinian people in East Jerusalem. There was
also discussion of the election campaign, the candidates' election
campaign centres, the polling stations in the city of Jerusalem -
the Armenian neighbourhood, Salah Al-Din Street, Shu'fat, Bayt Hanina,
Al-Tur - and the role of international observers in these campaigns.
We also stressed to them that the arrangements preceding the elections
are not only for the polling day. The arrangements include the
registration of voters [and] the candidates; the election programmes
and campaigns; and the movement of the candidates, their agents and
party members in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the areas in between,
including Jerusalem.
Therefore, we asked that the situation be restored to what it
was before 28 September 2000. This means guaranteeing a halt to
assassinations, incursions and arrests; the removal of roadblocks;
and the lifting of the closure. We want international observers to
have a greater role in this respect.
We agreed in principle that the arrangements should be the same as
those made for the 1996 elections. There is, however, a need for an
expanded meeting to be attended by security men and professionals in
such fields as statistics. We agreed to hold this meeting within the
next two days.
[Zahr-al-Din] So we can say that you received guarantees that the
residents of East Jerusalem would vote without Israeli conditions.
[Urayqat] Yes, we asked the Israeli side to announce in a clear,
official statement that the status of the Palestinian citizens
in East Jerusalem who would participate in the elections would
not be harmed. This is because there are [Israeli] threats to use
the identity cards and privileges [of East Jerusalem residents to
blackmail them]. We hope that the Israeli government will announce
this as soon as possible.
[Zahr-al-Din] Thank you very much.