Palestine News Network news website followed and reported on several developments, including violations which accompanied the sidelines of the campaign for the upcoming legislative elections in the Palestinian territories.
Translated By, Saed Bannoura-IMEMC
Most of the reported incidents directly violate the Palestinian elections law and to the core of the democratic process.
In one of the incident, a senior Palestinian security source reported that one of the candidates in Bethlehem area distributed "contracts", these contracts are "legal" in a way or another, but violate the elections law.
For instance, "campaign contractors" will sign an agreement with a resident, and state in the agreement that this resident will receive an amount of 20.000 NIS if he brings 500 voters for a certain candidate
The resident would receive 5000 NIS in advance while the rest of the amount would be paid one day after the elections are conducted if it turns out that he fulfilled his part of the agreement, if not he will have to pay the amount back.
In another incident, one of the candidates in Bethlehem distributed coupons on hundreds of residents to full their vehicles with fuel, while a third candidate from Hebron distributed mobile phone cards, paying a total amount of 30.000 NIS.
Other candidates are using foods, huge meals, to collect the people, especially in the villages and far areas known of the extreme poverty of the residents.
As for media campaign, several supporters of certain groups or individuals, hang the posters of pictures of their candidates over the pictures and posters of other candidates or groups.
Some groups are "specialized" with destroying and tearing the posters of other candidates; they just walk around and tear the posters as fast as a flash.
In some areas supporters of different groups and individuals were involved in fighting incidents, which included the usage of wooden logs, and wood with nails, one lad was injured in this incident.
In another incident, an unknown group fired rounds of live ammunition at a vehicle which belongs to one candidate from Bethlehem while he was driving in the city; no injuries were reported.
An armed group said that it fired at his vehicle because he is a collaborator with the Israeli security, and that they fired at his car in order to intimidate him and force him to withdraw his candidacy.
All of the candidates conducted visitations to the graveyards of residents who were killed by the army, visited families of detainees and injured residents, during Christmas and the Eid Al Adha Muslim feast celebrations.
One of the candidates in Bethlehem, who is a well known leader of the Islamic Jihad, and wanted to the Israeli security, is running the elections as an independent candidate. Some of the members of the Jihad said that he is violating an internal agreement in the movement to boycott the election.
The candidate said that he is running in the elections campaign because he is "one of the residents who suffered, and fought for their country", and added that he will not withdraw for the sake "of the dignity of the Palestinian people".
As for poll regarding the elections, it became clear that some of the polls are far from the reality, and that some of the polls are giving very small parties which is barely supported by 1% of the residents, a greater share of support which exceeded 10% in some cases.
The fact casts doubts on the scientific approach of some of the polls.
