PLC member Husam Khader, who is serving a seven-year sentence in the Hadarim Israeli Prison, criticized attempts to hold the Palestinian Legislative council election elections at any price even if this is at the expense of the absence of Jerusalem residents.
Khader stated this was political opportunism and short-sightedness and showed that factional interests were overriding the bigger strategic issues of our people.
Khader stressed on the need for Jerusalem to remain the center of interest for the Palestinians, saying the issues of Jerusalem, refugees and the land were "the core of our struggle and our existence and should not be compromised just to gain narrow electoral gains".
He also called on the factions to sign a covenant of honor prohibiting elections without Jerusalem.
The jailed parliamentarian also addressed the issue of chaos, calling on all the military wings of Palestinian factions to respect the Palestinian person and the security of our society. "The most recent actions, regardless of their motives, will lead us to disaster and mutiny, the magnitude and repercussions of which no one can fathom. They will also have a negative impact on the world’s solidarity with the struggle of our people."
In regards to the participation of Jerusalemites in the elections, Khader stressed on the need to safeguard the Palestinian democratic process and the rule of law and also to rise above trivial matters during the campaigning period.
He called on the residents to practice their election rights by choosing candidates most qualified and those who most adhere to Palestinian national rights.
