PA says Israeli elections domestic issue despite impact on Palestinians

20:43, September 17, 2019

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  Unable to vote, Palestinians shrug off Israel’s elections

  In this Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019 photo, Palestinian Barhoum Saleh gives an interview at his roadside mechanic shop, near the West Bank Israeli settlement of Elkana, west of Qalqiliya. (Photo: AP)Barhoum Saleh’s town is surrounded by Jewish settlements, the sign above his roadside mechanic shop is in Hebrew, most of his customers are Israeli and he needs an Israeli permit to visit the beach a half hour’s drive away.But unlike his Jewish neighbors, he can’t vote in next week’s elections.Saleh is among the 2.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank who have no voice in choosing Israel’s next government and no control over whether it decides to annex part or all of the occupied territory, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuhas vowed to do. With the peace process having sputtered to a halt a decade ago, they also have little hope of getting a state of their own anytime soon.Saleh, who is not particularly political, just wishes it was easier to take his kids to the beach.Israelis who get their cars serviced at his shop describe their trips: one drove down to Egypt’s Sinai, another vacationed in Thailand. But while they can travel in and out of the West Bank freely, Saleh must apply for a permit to enter Israel — and they are not given for family vacations. So, a few years back, he took his family to neighboring Jordan and its Red Sea port of Aqaba, several hours away.“My kids were astonished when they saw the sea,” he recalls, smiling at the memory. “They said, what’s that?”The movement restrictions apply to all Palestinians in the West Bank, even those, like Saleh, who live near major settlement blocs that Israel expects to keep in any peace agreement. His shop is just down the road from Elkana, the settlement where Netanyahukicked off his campaignby vowing to annex parts of the West Bank.Palestinians here say they have good relations with Israelis, including settlers, who patronize their businesses. But they have little interest in Israel’s elec...

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  55 Palestinians injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza

  A Palestinian protester uses a slingshot to hurl stones at Israeli troops during clashes with Israeli troops on the Gaza-Israel border, east of southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Aug. 30, 2019. (File photo: Xinhua)GAZA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 55 Palestinians were injured on Friday afternoon during clashes with Israeli soldiers stationed on the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, a Palestinian official said.Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the health ministry in Gaza, told reporters that 55 demonstrators were injured, including 29 shot by Israeli soldiers gunfire, in eastern Gaza Strip, adding that two women were among the casualties.Earlier on Friday, around 5,000 demonstrators gathered in eastern Gaza Strip, upon the call of the Highest Commission of the Great March of Return and Breaking the Israeli Siege, eyewitnesses and local media reports said.The demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, burned tires, threw stones and hand-made percussion bombs at Israeli army forces and vehicles stationed at the borderline area between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel.The Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been going on weekly anti-Israel protests and rallies, better known as the Great March of Return, which started in late March last year, aiming at ending 13 years of the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.Hamas movement and several Palestinian factions are leading the highest commission of the protests in a bid to pressure on Israel to ease the blockade.Hamas and the factions accused Israel of not being committed to the calm understandings, which had been brokered by Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar in November last year.Tension between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has been mounting over the past couple of weeks, a few days before the parliamentary elections in Israel for the second time in less than a year.

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  Israeli voters return to polls in 2nd election in 1 year

  JERUSALEM, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Israelis returned to the polls on Tuesday in the second election held this year to decide whether sitting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party, will continue his fifth term as leader.A man takes a selfie with his mobile phone as he casts his ballot in Israels parliamentary election, at a polling station in Tel Aviv, Israel September 17, 2019. (Photo: VCG)The latest polls at the end of last week showed a deadlock between main political blocs, meaning there could be a third election.Over 6 million Israelis are eligible to vote in almost 11,000 polling stations scattered around the country.There was fear that voter apathy to an election so soon after the previous one would lead to a low turnout. However, in the opening hours, voter turnout was higher than the last election.Many Israelis voted and then took advantage of the day off given to them by the election law.According to tourism authorities, national parks were packed, as were shopping malls. Many people could be seen in public parks having picnics.This election, similar to the last one held in April, is largely about Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister.The election sees Israel as divided into two main camps: those who want to see him stay and those who prefer someone else at the helm."I voted Likud because I want a right-wing government and a strong Israel and I want Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu) to be the prime minister," said Chaya Dvora Sharon, a voter.His recent years as prime minister have been clouded by allegations of corruption. In the coming weeks, he will be given a pre-trial hearing with the attorney general who will then determine if he will be indicted for three separate counts of corruption.According to Israeli law, a sitting prime minister is not obligated to resign if indicted and can stay in power until a final supreme court ruling is handed down."Im afraid that Netanyahu has been ...