Budapest – Acting Head of Mission of the Embassy of the State of Palestine to Hungary, Dr. Fadi Elhusseini, sent identical letters to the Hungarian Parliament and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and trade, in addition to other letters addressed to parties, non-governmental organizations, and media about Israel’s attempt to disrupt Palestinian elections within the occupied city of Jerusalem.
In his letters, he voiced that the Oslo Accords, which established the relationship between Palestinians and Israelis, unequivocally clarified the entitlement of East Jerusalem residents to the Palestinian elections. As such, in the 1996 presidential and legislative elections, the 2005 presidential elections, and the 2006 legislative elections, Jerusalemites participated and voted in the Palestinian national elections.
He added that when the Palestinians ended their externally ignited domestic rift, which caused the delay of elections, Israel intervened to disrupt the elections by failing to guarantee the participation of the residents of the occupied city of Jerusalem.
The diplomat referred to the disruptive measures enforced by Israel the “occupying power,” to obstruct the Palestinian legislative elections in East Jerusalem. Several reports by Israeli and international organizations documented numerous incidents in Jerusalem, including arresting and threatening candidates, summoning others for conducting election-related activities, and halting meetings or any elections-related activities.
A number of Palestinian officials were dispatched to several capitals in order to urge Israel to give a pledge and allow Jerusalemites to participate in the elections, but all these efforts went in vain. Accordingly, the Palestinian leadership decided to delay the national elections until Israel gives Palestinian Jerusalemites their basic right to political participated and self-determination and thus the participate in the elections.
Acting Head of Mission calls upon the international community to act immediately and exert pressure on Israel to commit to its obligations under the signed agreements, including the right of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem to participate in the elections.