The on-the-ground reality of Israel's moral bankruptcy in its genocidal policies towards the Palestinians remains as clear as ever, writes Mustafa Barghouti

A press conference was held today by the Independent Palestine coalition, led by Mustafa Barghouthi, head of the list, and candidates Amal Khreishe, Raja Shehadeh and Eyad Masroujeh, in the shadow of the Apartheid Wall and the newly-opened Qalandia military checkpoint terminal.

The PNI strongly condemns the kidnapping of an Italian national participating in a solidarity trip to Palestine, together with European Parliament member, Luisa Morgantini.

A statement made today by Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, and head of the Independent Palestine coalition, warned that a postponement of Legislative elections would remove the only solution to the leadership vacuum in Palestinian politics, and to the increasingly dire internal security situation in Palestine.

Israeli policy is the root cause of need in the occupied territories, but donors pay up without challenging it

2005 started with high hope and ended in deep doubt. After five years in which Israel had concluded that Yasser Arafat was not a partner for peace, the Palestinian public elected a President in Mahmoud Abbas who was unequivocally in favour of a just, lasting and negotiated peace with Israel, and who pulled off a deal with the armed factions which provided for a de facto ceasefire.