First Elections in Gaza Since 2006
Palestinians in the West Bank and central Gaza's Deir el-Balah cast ballots in municipal elections, the first vote in the Palestinian territories since the Gaza war. Nearly 1.5 million people in the West Bank and 70,000 in Deir el-Balah were registered to vote, according to the Central Elections Commission. The last poll of any kind in Gaza was two decades ago.
Symbolism and Sovereignty
The vote in Gaza is being held only in Deir el-Balah, one of the few areas in the enclave not to have experienced an Israeli ground invasion. The Palestinian Authority hopes the election will help reinforce its claim to authority over the territory. Former French ambassador Bertrand Besancenot said the vote would provide "credibility to Palestinian sovereignty" if voter turnout is high.
Low Turnout, High Hopes
Turnout was 22.7% in Deir al-Balah and 53.44% in the West Bank, according to official figures. Despite the low turnout, Salama Badwan, a 43-year-old Deir el-Balah resident, said he was delighted to be casting a vote after such a long absence. Badwan's 18-year-old daughter, Dunia, voted for the first time.
Fatah Dominance
Most electoral lists are aligned with President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party or running as independents. There are no lists affiliated with Hamas, which controls nearly half of the Gaza Strip. Candidates were required to recognize the Palestinian Liberation Organisation as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
The article from BBC notes that the requirement to recognize the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people led several factions to boycott the election.
Challenges and Destruction
Many of Deir el-Balah's buildings were damaged or destroyed during the war, so polling stations were set up in temporary tents. Mohammad Abu Nada, coordinator of the Deir el-Balah electoral district, said ballot boxes were designed and manufactured locally, and ink previously used by the World Health Organization was repurposed for voting. The city has become a refuge for large numbers of displaced people from across Gaza, putting unprecedented pressure on its infrastructure.
Calls for Unity and Change
Fareed Taamallah, a spokesperson for the Elections Commission, said, "The main idea is to link the West Bank and Gaza politically as one system." Awda Abdel Karim Abu Baraka, 73, said the elections represent an opportunity to choose those capable of "reviving society and institutions that have been stalled for years."
The sources also report that the last poll of any kind in Gaza was not just two decades ago but specifically in 2006.