News briefing:
Translated and edited by: Committee for Justice
Geneva: 26 July 2021
UN experts called on the Palestinian Authority and Israel, the occupying power, to take all necessary steps within their powers to reschedule the Palestinian presidential, legislative and municipal elections, within a reasonably short time frame, and to ensure that these elections are free, fair. democratic peaceful and credible.
“We are deeply concerned about the postponement of the scheduled elections in Palestine,” the experts said in a statement published by the Human Rights Council’s media center in Geneva, noting that “The Palestinian elections present a monumental opportunity to renew the democratic process, to address the long-standing internal political divisions, to strengthen accountable institutions and to take an important step towards achieving the fundamental national and individual rights of the Palestinian people.”
“We call upon Israel to clearly state that it will allow the full democratic participation of Palestinians in East Jerusalem in the planned elections. As the occupying power in East Jerusalem, it must interfere as little as possible with the rights and daily lives of the Palestinians.”
The experts noted that the Oslo Accords stipulate the right of Palestinians in East Jerusalem to participate in the Palestinian elections, stressing that “The international community has repeatedly stated, through the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, that all Israeli alterations to East Jerusalem’s demography and to its political and legal status are null and void,” they said. “Here is a golden opportunity for the world to affirm these commitments in the name of democracy and international law.”
The experts also called on the Palestinian Authority to reschedule the elections for new dates in the very near future, and to fully respect the democratic rights of voters, candidates, political parties and participants by all, including the occupying power.
It is noteworthy that the parliamentary and presidential elections were scheduled to be held in May and July, respectively, but were postponed indefinitely on April 29, by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, due to concerns about the ability of Palestinians to vote in East Jerusalem.
