Hold Them Accountable at the Ballot Box

An opinion article by Dr. Sufyan Qudaih calls for holding general Palestinian legislative elections after more than twenty years since the last elections in 2006, considering the ballot box the fairest way to hold political forces accountable for their performance during and after the recent war.

In an opinion article published by Falastin Online, writer Dr. Sufyan Qudaih calls for holding general Palestinian legislative elections, considering the ballot box the most just and clear way to hold political forces accountable after the war, destruction, and displacement experienced by the Palestinian people. He notes that the last legislative elections took place on January 25, 2006, where the 'Change and Reform' list affiliated with Hamas won 74 seats out of 132, Fatah movement won 45 seats, the Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa list won 3 seats, while 'The Third Way', 'The Alternative', and 'Independent Palestine' each won two seats, and independents won four seats, with a voter turnout of 77.69%. He mentions that a decree was issued in January 2021 to hold elections on May 22 of that year, but the process was postponed on April 30, 2021. The writer emphasizes that elections are not a reward or punishment for a faction, but a right of the people and a peaceful mechanism to renew legitimacy, calling on citizens to choose competent and honest individuals and not to turn people's suffering into electoral propaganda. He demands real, fair, and comprehensive elections that include the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem, concluding that Palestine is greater than factions and the will of the people is above all.