Israeli, Palestinian candidates share electoral list in Jerusalem first

For the first time in a half-century, a joint Palestinian-Israeli list will compete in Jerusalem's municipal elections. The 350,000 Palestinians living in Jerusalem have boycotted the vote since Israel unilaterally unified Jerusalem in 1967 and created a single municipality, refusing to recognize and legitimize the Israeli occupation and annexation. Palestinians in East Jerusalem were given permanent residency but not citizenship, and thus can vote in municipal elections but not for the Knesset.

The former chairman of the Israeli Palestinian Bereaved Families for Peace, Aziz Abu Sarah, and Israeli researcher and co-director of the Israel Palestine Creative Initiatives think tank Gershon Baskin decided to run in the upcoming municipal elections scheduled for next November in a joint list. The announcement was made April 25.

Abu Sarah and Baskin said in a press report April 25 that the list will be equally divided between Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs and will include an equal number of candidates of each gender. Baskin indicated that the Israeli candidates will consist of Orthodox and Secular Jews and will represent different geographic areas. The heads of the list gave a long interview to the Israeli daily Maariv April 24, and the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi published its Arabic translation April 26.

The Palestinian leadership has yet to express an opinion on the issue. Palestinians involved in the plan are to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after the April 30 Palestine National Council meetings to brief him on the idea and platform, with the hope of getting his blessing or at least ensuring that he is not against them.