As we stand in tribute and respect for the sacrifices of our brave families in the prisons of the
occupation, despite the state of the separation of the government, the Palestinian people have
emphasized their ability to exercise constitutional and legal rights in participating in the
election process, and ability to overcome difficulties to build a democratic Palestinian state, a
state of rights and duties, a state of accountability and decision making.
We congratulate the Palestinian people on the success of the democratic electoral process in
the northern governorates as a first step towards holding presidential and legislative elections
that have been overdue for more than seven years. Therefore, we call all responsible parties to
enable the citizens in Gaza to participate in the upcoming elections.
The National Committee for Elections Monitoring and hundreds of observers in most
governorates and polling centers conducted an intensive monitoring over the election
processes in general, and in counting and announcement in particular. Whereas, it has
monitored the opening of polling centers and the start of voting on Saturday, 13.5.2017 till the
end of the voting process.
Although the committee is not aware that many violations have affected the integrity of the
electoral process in general, our monitoring parties have reported a large number of violations
that are contrary to international standards such as the role of security, official media, electoral
propaganda, ballot paper, electoral ink and the legal framework, as well as the low professional
level of a number of staff members of electoral center committees.
The Commission recorder dozens of cases of security personnel entering their weapons into the
polling centers, in addition to the Palestinian police which did not block electoral propaganda in
front of some polling centers. Many security forces were dressed in civilian clothes, trying to
influence voters in many areas such as Al-Thahreyyeh, Yabed, and Qalqiliya.
It was noted that the official government media was promoting some of the block electoral in
favor of Fateh Movement, and did not adhere to the electoral silence after the limited period of
the election propaganda.
Many observations were noted against the continuation of the electoral propaganda in the
fields of the electoral centers such as Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem, Jenin, Tubas, Salfit,
and Tulkarem. Representatives of the blocks and their supporters have distributed brochures
and text messages on the day of the electoral silence.
A significant decline in the quality of the ballot paper has been noted, compared to the previous
election ballots, the Commission also noted that the ballot papers do not have to be signed by
the station director, which could lead to violations against the integrity and confidentiality of
the ballot, whereas the ballot is signed by 2 to 4 parties and there is no need for it to be signed.
Many employees of the CEC had no knowledge of the laws and procedures, and had not
received adequate training. Many center officials and employees have dealt negatively with the
local monitoring parties in different centers especially in Tubas, Jenin, Hebron, and Nablus,
which is considered as a violation against the established policy in dealing with monitoring
parties as partners.
Many citizens have complained about the ink, whereas some of them did not participate in the
process due to such procedure, such as women and workers in the occupied countries.
Therefore commission insists to stop using the ink to enlarge the number of participation.
Election Centers
The CEC did not take into consideration the electoral centers and their rehabilitation for the use
of elder citizens and people with special needs in many areas, in addition to many electoral
centers which were placed close to each other as in Beit Ummar and Nablus, some were far
from population centers, as well as using the second floors in some schools and electoral
centers.
The commission emphasizes the need to regulate new systems or to take back the old
individual system, due to the lack of the legal regulations in the electoral process, and
monitoring bodies.
The low participation rate in the voting process is not due to the current political situation and
to the battle of our brave families in Israeli jails, but to the prevention of Hamas from holding
elections in the Gaza Strip and its reluctance to participate in the West Bank, in addition to the
absence of efforts of political parties and civil institutions, which led to the strengthening of the
clan at the expense of political and social action.
The blessing of some of the so-called tribal and family consensus lists and presenting them as a
form of democracy is only a falsification of the will of our people and awareness of the image of
the Palestinian people among the respected countries and the confiscation of its participation
in decision-making and the confiscation of its true democratic aspirations.
The Committee calls on the civil society to monitor the elections to stop the so-called
consensus and success by acclamation and calls for a democratic electoral process based on
competition, and away from all forms of consensus and fabrication that freeze the promotion
of democratic transformation.
