Today, Tuesday January 3rd 2006 the third, is the official opening day of
the election campaign for the Palestinian Legislative Council. In spite of
Israel's reputation as the "only democracy in the middle east," Palestinian
political leaders still face harasement and arrest by the Israeli Police and
Military.
At an election rally held by electoral candidate Hannan Ashwari in Occupied
East Jerusalem <http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/category/jerusalem/>
today, Israeli Police demanded that a banner promoting "The Third Way " be
removed. Hannan Ashrawi refused to remove it, so the banner was confiscated
by the police and Mrs. Ashrawi's assistant was arrested. The rally was
forcefully dispersed by the Israeli police, and four Jerusalem residents
participating in the rally were arrested for waving Palestinian flags
(referred to by Ynet as PLO flags), which is still an illegal offense in
Occupied East Jerusalem.
On the night of the January 2nd, the Israeli police in occupied east
Jerusalem arrested two residents of the city for displaying posters of
electoral candidates. The two were released after being interrogated. The
Israeli military also prevented Candidate Neda Taweer from Tul Karem from
crossing a checkpoint on her way to the site of the annexation Wall at Dir
Al Soon.
At noon today, January 3rd, Candidate Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, head of the
Independent Palestine coalition list, was arrested in East Jerusalem whilst
on a tour of the Old City as part of the his election campaign of the
Palestinian Legislative Council. Dr. Barghouthi was approached by six
undercover Israeli security agents, arrested, and taken to the Russian
Compound jail. He was released at the Al Ram checkpoint three hours later.