CIAO DATE: 05/06

Political Participation and Palestinian Legislative Elections

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

By Mohammed Yaghi and Ben Fishman

Peace Watch #524
October 31, 2005

Abstract

In the leadup to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's October 20 visit to Washington, the Bush administration urged the Palestinian Authority (PA) to tighten rules enacted in 1995 and change the law governing upcoming Palestinian legislative elections to make it clear that candidates, even those backed by Hamas or other militant groups, could not incite violence or keep ties with militias. However, the PA seems unlikely to adopt this approach, in part because the administration reportedly backed away from its position. What alternative strategies exist for limiting Hamas's political influence?

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