A statement made today by Independent Palestine head, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, refuted the idea that Legislative elections, slated for 25 January, should be postponed in light of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s rapidly deteriorating health.
He pointed out that external factors of this nature [should] have no bearing upon internal Palestinian matters, particularly in the historic context of the democratic revolution that is currently taking place in Palestine.
Dr. Barghouthi also referred to Israel’s proposed ban on voting in East Jerusalem, and called on all factions to work together to ensure that elections take place in the city. He declared his resolve to travel to Jerusalem, the city in which he was born, as part of the Independent Palestine election campaign despite his recent arrest for being in the city without Israeli ‘permission’.