Democracy, Palestinian Style
Charles Johnson
Mon Nov 28, 2005 at 8:10 am PST • Views: 245
Fatah Halts Primaries in Gaza.
The Palestinians’ ruling Fatah Party halted its primary election across the Gaza Strip on Monday after angry gunmen shot in the air at several polling stations, stole some ballot boxes and destroyed others.
Fatah officials said the votes cast Monday would be nullified, and the primary would have to be rescheduled. The election violence highlighted the ongoing lawlessness in Gaza’s streets.
“The Fatah General Committee held an urgent meeting in Gaza this afternoon to evaluate the primary elections and the committee decided to freeze the election due to the serious violations that took place during the voting process today,” the statement said.
The Gaza primaries were expected to continue the trend started during earlier elections in several West Bank districts that swept away many entrenched old-timers, who controlled the party for decades and were seen as corrupt, and replaced them with young politicians more popular with average Palestinians.
The housecleaning in Fatah is crucial to the party’s hope of beating back a strong showing by the Islamic militant group Hamas, which has wooed Palestinians in part with its image as an honest group that will not tolerate corruption and graft.
But the violence and disorder threatened the whole process.
Who is the Associated Press kidding? The violence and disorder is the process. I do love the bit about Hamas’ “image as an honest group,” though. They’re honest all right—about their bloodlust and genocidal intentions.
Frank says: