UNITED NATIONS, Apr 23 (NNN-WAFA) – UN Middle East envoy, Tor Wennesland, yesterday urged international support for the first Palestinian elections in 15 years.
“The successful completion of inclusive Palestinian elections is a critical step towards renewing democratic legitimacy of the Palestinian Government,” Wennesland told a virtual meeting of the Security Council on the Palestine question, speaking from Jerusalem.
“These elections should also pave the way to uniting Gaza and the West Bank under a single, legitimate national authority, which would be an important step towards reconciliation and could advance Middle East peace,” he said.
Preparations continue for the Palestinian Legislative Council elections set for May 22, he reported.
Registration of candidates concluded on Mar 31, and the final lists are expected on Apr 30, the start of the official campaign period.
“Since my last briefing, a growing number of young people are expected to participate in shaping their political future and having the opportunity to vote for the first time,” he said.
The UN has been supporting the electoral process, engaging regularly with parties and with the Central Elections Committee (CEC).
“To date, the CEC has performed its duties with professionalism and integrity, enhancing trust in the electoral process,” he said.
“I also underscore the critical role of election observers to ensure respect for the results of a credible and transparent process,” the envoy added.
Wennesland also welcomed the CEC’s plans to implement special measures for safe voting during the pandemic.
As of yesterday, there were more than 316,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the occupied Palestinian territory, according to data from the World Health Organisation.
Addressing the crisis, he said, COVID-19 continues to pose “a formidable threat” across the occupied Palestinian territory and vaccination must be ramped up.
“I am seriously concerned by the significant rise in active cases in Gaza, where the daily infection rate is reaching its highest level, since the onset of the pandemic. In the West Bank, many hospitals remain at or near full capacity,” he said.
The envoy updated the Council on the vaccination campaign, which the Palestinian authorities rolled out last month.
More than 300,000 doses have been delivered so far, he reported, and Israel has also continued efforts to vaccinate segments of the Palestinian population in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Additionally, more than 100,000 Palestinians who have permits to enter Israel, have also been inoculated.
“As the socio-economic impact of the pandemic has significantly exacerbated a seemingly never-ending fiscal and economic crisis in both the West Bank and Gaza, support for the Palestinian Government’s response must continue to be a priority,” the envoy said.
“I welcome all efforts carried out thus far, to vaccinate the Palestinian population, but the process needs to be accelerated and more vaccines are needed,” he said.
