BICOM

A significant Palestinian faction has withdrawn from May’s municipal elections, in the Palestinian areas of the West Bank, to protest against the Palestinian Authority (PA) security services handling of recent protests.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is classified as a terror group by Israel, said yesterday that it denounced the “suppressive” measures used by PA forces against protestors demonstrating against PA security cooperation with Israel. Media reports said that PA security officers used tear gas, batons and rubber bullets against demonstrators.

The protests started after 31-year-old Basel al-Araj was killed last week after he shot at Israeli soldiers attempting to arrest him. Al-Araj and five others were imprisoned by the PA last year for possessing weapons and intending to carry out attacks in Israel.

PFLP politburo member and Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) MP Khalida Jarrar said yesterday that the faction would only consider re-engaging with the electoral process if PA security officers were held accountable. She threatened “political steps” against the PA’s “suppression and political coordination”.

Earlier this month, the PA announced that municipal elections on 13 May will take place only in the PA-controlled West Bank and not the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. This led to Hamas’ withdrawal from the election.

In July, Hamas agreed to participate in the municipal elections, which would have been the first time Hamas and Fatah had contested an election since 2006, when Hamas won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections. The municipal vote was viewed as a possible precursor to a full parliamentary election.

In 2007, Hamas violently seized control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah and relations between the two have been bitter ever since. Reconciliation and unity agreements between the two factions have since been agreed but never fully implemented.