Days of Palestine – Hebron

Lama Khater, the candidate for the "Al-Quds Our Destination" list, confirmed the existence of an intersection between the factions regarding the insistence on holding elections in Jerusalem, pointing out that reaching this stage of Palestinian consensus is very important.

Khater stressed that the idea of ​​"no elections without Jerusalem" needs to be dismantled, describing that the idea of ​​canceling the elections by invoking Jerusalem, by fleeing, and "as if the occupation says there are no elections in Jerusalem, we will resort to the method of rebellion."

Khater pointed out that there are proposals from some factions to impose elections in Jerusalem, such as opening boxes in the institutions and headquarters of the Red Cross and the United Nations, and achieving a large public and media presence on election day to expose the violations of the Israeli occupation.

ِAbout the occupation's opinion on the Palestinian elections in Jerusalem, Khater indicated that the situation is not yet official and is still "foggy."

The writer Lama Khater emphasized that when the occupation’s position on holding elections in Jerusalem becomes clear, we will have our position with the factions in cooperation with the Election Commission and the rest of the civil society institutions.

Khater relied on the human capital in the city of Jerusalem, explaining that the proposals do not mean that they will be left to a specific faction to implement them, and there is no doubt that turning the elections into a popular political battle with the Israeli occupation must involve all Palestinians.

Khater said that we are now proceeding from a point where the factions and civil society institutions intersected, for the elections in Jerusalem to be a confrontation with the Israeli occupation, not only for the sake of elections but after the transfer of the American embassy to the city and the intensification of settlements, we must take advantage of any opportunity to confirm the Palestinian will in the city.

She recalled the risk of the occupation’s attempt to impose the gates, and how the Palestinian popular will forced the Israeli occupation to retreat from its policies.

She added that When there is an overwhelming popular will during the elections, it may be an opportunity to revive the national sentiment that has been ruined over the past years, due to the authority's policies in the occupied West Bank.

Candidate Khater pointed out that, in her assessment, the factions should take one step ahead of the occupation, by specifying the steps they want to implement to hold the elections despite the occupation.

She continued that it is possible that a clash or confrontation will occur, but when it occurs during the elections, the occupation will be embarrassed in front of the international community that is monitoring the process."

On the idea of ​​postponing the elections, Khater said: “I expect that the issue of postponing the elections is not on the table, and I do not think that Fatah will make the mistake of singling out such a decision after all these preparations and national consensus, and I believe that this option is not on the table within the Fatah movement, and we have passed this stage by steps.