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Foreign Interference in the Palestinian Elections

(Al Jazeera) Dr. Adnan Abu Amer - As Palestinians begin the countdown to their elections in May and July, there seems to be growing interest among foreign actors in shaping their outcome. Bassam al-Salhi, a member of the PLO Executive Committee, said: "Many countries will pump huge sums of money because they want to have influence in the Legislative Council. We are facing interference from many countries, Arab and foreign." It seems they are particularly worried about pressure from Egypt, Jordan and the UAE, as well as Turkey and Qatar. It is no secret that President Mahmoud Abbas' call for elections came as a result of American and European pressure. The EU even threatened to end the financial support it provides to Ramallah if the elections get cancelled. Cairo and Amman both fear a repeat of the 2006 elections, when Hamas won decisively. Egypt sees Hamas as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and a Hamas victory could reinvigorate the Brotherhood in Egypt. The writer heads the Political Science Department at the University of the Ummah in Gaza.
2021-03-22 00:00:00
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