On February 8th 2011, the Palestinian government set a date for local elections in the West Bank and Gaza. The date was set as 9th July 2011. This will be the first Palestinian vote held since 2006.
According to the Central Elections Committee (CEC) schedule, candidates’ registration will start on May 25 and will go on for 10 days. Campaigning will officially open on June 25.
CEC figures said 75% of the Palestinians who are allowed to vote have registered. It said 81% are in the West Bank and only 67% are in the Gaza Strip. Total number of registered Palestinians is 1,437,965 out of a total 1,916,803 eligible voters.
In 2010, a similar vote had been announced for 17th July but had been cancelled just hours before the candidates’ registration period was due to close because Hamas vowed to ignore the elections.
The 2011 elections will be held in accordance with Local Council Elections Law No. 10 of 2005
The requirements
The eligible voter must be:
- Of Palestinian nationality
- 18 years or above on polling day,
- Registered in the final voters' list
- Registered in the electoral district where he intends to cast his/her vote.
- Not deprived from exercising the right to vote vide a legal decision.
Palestinians ID holders living abroad are eligible to vote if they have registered and are in Palestine on elections day.
Registration process
- Registration of eligible voters: A potential registrant presents an application to the registration center staff who then verifies the accuracy of the information.
- Data entry of information: The registration staff collects all the records of registered voters and passes them on to the CEC’s data entry center. All the data is entered into a database specifically designed for the CEC. The data is processed to eliminate duplicate entries, resulting in the preliminary voters list.
- Exhibition and challenge of the preliminary voters list: The preliminary voters list is exhibited in all registration centers. A registered voter who cannot find her/his name on the preliminary voters list or who finds an error in her/his information may submit a challenge to the exhibition and challenge staff. A registered voter may also challenge the eligibility of another person on the list. The challenge must be submitted, in writing, to the center’s staff within five days of publication of the voters list.
- Resolution of challenges: The exhibition and challenge staff decides on the legitimacy of a challenge. The staff must decide on the challenge within seven days of submission.
- Appeals: The decision of the exhibition and challenge staff may be appealed to the Central Elections Commission or electoral appeals court.
- Final voters list: Once all the challenges to the preliminary voters list have been resolved and all the corrections have been made, the preliminary list becomes the final list for polling purposes.
Polling Day
Polling and counting centers are usually located in the same place as the registration centers. They have up to five polling stations depending on the population distribution in the surrounding district. The polls are open from 7 am to 7pm on Election Day.
Each voter gets one ballot paper on which he/she puts an (x) in the box next to the list of his/her choice.
When the last voter has voted, the ballot box will be sealed and the counting procedure will begin. Ballot counting takes place in front of local and international observers, party and candidate agents, and the media.
Electoral districts
Each local authority is considered one electoral district. The number of the council's members in each local authority is allocated in proportion to the population in the population center to which the local authority is affiliated.
- Municipalities are administered by a council composed of 15 members.
- Local authorities where population exceeds 15 thousand, localities are administered by a 13 member council.
- Local authorities whose population exceeds 5 thousand are run by a council of 11 members.
- Local authorities where population is between 1000-5000 are administered by a council of 9 members.
Nomination
Nomination for local council elections is carried out based on the system of full proportional representation, or the “lists” system. Each list is considered a closed list in terms of the candidate order. Candidates are ordered based on candidate priority. The number of candidates in the list should not exceed the number of seats allocated to the local authority council.
Any candidate nominated in the electoral lists should be at least 25 years old on Election Day. He/she should be registered in the final voters list for the district he/she wishes to be nominated in. He/she should be free on felony convictions. He/she should not be an employee of the Ministry of Local Government; a member of the security forces; or an employee, a president, or a council member in the local authority unless he/she submit his/her resignation attached to the nomination application. He/she should reside within the local authority he/she is running in for a period no less than one year on the date of elections, and shall not be a candidate in another district or list.
Representation of women in the list
In local councils whose seats do not exceed 13, no less than 2 seats shall be allocated for women. Each list shall include a minimum level of representation for women, not less than:
- At least one woman among the first five names.
- At least one woman among the next five names that follow.
In local authorities whose seats exceed 13, all lists shall place a woman among the next five names, following the requirements in the previous paragraph.
Local authorities whose final voters list contain less than one thousand voters shall be excluded from the above requirements. In this case, the lists are free to choose the order of women among their candidates.
In the event that a woman's seat in the local council becomes vacant, then it shall be occupied by the woman whose name appears next in the list.
Electoral campaigning
The electoral campaign period shall start two weeks prior to polling day and shall be closed twenty four hours before that day. The Executive Authority and all the bodies affiliated thereto shall maintain an impartial position during all of the phases of the electoral process. It is prohibited to organize festivals and hold meetings in mosques and churches, or near hospitals and buildings or premises used by governmental or public institutions. It is also prohibited for nominated lists to directly or indirectly receive funds for their electoral campaigning from any foreign sources.
Every electoral list taking part in the elections will submit to the Central Elections Commission, within a maximum period of a month from the date of announcement of the final election results, a detailed report of the lists financial resources, including total amounts spent. The CEC may request that the financial statements be audited by a legal auditor.
Winning of seats
Each list which obtains eight percent or more of the valid votes are allocated a number of seats in proportion to the number of valid votes obtained. The seats are allocated to the candidates according to the order of their names in the list based on the Sainte-Lague method for the allocation of seats.
Electoral offences
Electoral crimes are punishable by law with either imprisonment, a fine, or both. Electoral crimes include: bribery, buying votes, influencing voters, pretending to be another voter and voting more than once.
- Lending of money, whether directly or indirectly, to voters in order to influence their decision or prevent them from exercising their right to vote is considered an electoral offence.
- The use of force, violence or the threat of violence or force in order to influence voters' decisions or prevent them from exercising their right to vote is considered an electoral crime.
- The use of false documents to prove identity, or voting without having the right to vote, or assuming the name or personality of another voter, or voting more than once are considered electoral crimes, punishable by law.
Proclamation of results
- The CEC announces elections results within a maximum period of 72 hours following the closing of the counting process and issues official certificates for the election winners.
- Election results must include the number of votes obtained by each list and the number of seats won by each list.
Sources
Central Elections Committee
WAFA
Factsheet - Fair Tax Monitor 2019-2024
Date posted: February 20, 2025
By MIFTAH
Introduction
The tax system is a financial and economic policy tool through which society's goals and objectives are realized based on its intellectual philosophy and ideology. Thus, the tax system is based on certain economic, social, and political pillars and foundations that differ from one society to another, from one country to another, and in the same country from one stage to another. Taxation has become not only a source of revenue for the state, but also a social and economic function, in addition to its traditional financial function, by becoming one of the economic tools through which economic development can be achieved, addressing inflation and stagnation, redistributing incomes, and raising the standard of living of citizens to advance the national economy in general .
The analytical review of the philosophy of tax systems shows that it is based on social, financial, and economic foundations. Its social function is to redistribute wealth to ensure social justice in the state, and to use tax revenues to achieve social stability and provide social services, and social protection for marginalized, vulnerable, and poor groups. Its financial function is to secure revenues for the state treasury to cover public expenditures, while its economic function is represented by the fact that it is a major tool of the state's fiscal policy, which it uses in order to stimulate economic growth, reduce inflation levels, protect the national economy, or stimulate some economic sectors, by imposing certain taxes, tax cuts, and others.
Based on these foundations and principles, the Palestinian tax system must achieve the philosophy of taxation by maximizing revenues, protecting the national economy, and, most importantly, achieving and enforcing social justice for all social groups . And responding to gender issues.
In 2024, the FairTax Monitor-FTM in the Palestinian Territories was updated, complementing the previous monitor’s data, which was published in 2018. The current update focuses on the years 2019-2024 and presents a set of conclusions and facts, the most important of which are:
To view the Full Factsheet as PDF
Factsheet on the status of Palestinian digital rights for CSOs and consequences of the genocide
Date posted: January 15, 2025
By MIFTAH
As part of its work in the field of public and digital diplomacy to expand global communication outreach in support of the Palestinian cause, MIFTAH conducted an assessment survey on the cognitive capabilities of civil society organizations (CSO) in the West Bank, including Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, on digital rights and its implementation.
This survey reflects the complex reality of digital rights in occupied Palestine and assesses how prepared CSOs are in dealing with growing digital challenges, especially after the 2023 genocide. The survey sheds light on the gaps in digital knowledge and the infrastructure for digital security, which is a particular challenge, hampering the ability of institutions to protect their data and effectively carry out their role.
The survey is based on the descriptive methodology, including questionnaires from 55 institutions in the West Bank (including Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip, in addition to in-depth interviews with six digital rights, women’s and other institutions working in the Gaza Strip. The qualitative data was analyzed using advanced tools such as Nvivo and SPSS.
Overview
According to the outcomes of the survey, CSOs target various sectors, with women being the most targeted sector at 43.6%, followed by children, at 16.4%, the elderly at 12.7% and youth at 10.9%. Meanwhile, persons with disabilities were targeted at 9.1% and media persons at 7.3%. Furthermore, the results of the survey showed that 34.5% of CSOs target all sectors indiscriminately, thus reflecting the comprehensiveness of the sample.
The scope of the work of Palestinian institutions is distributed within the districts as follows: Ramallah, at 50.9% of institutions, Hebron, at 40%, Jerusalem at 34.5% and Nablus at 38.2%. It also extends to the Bethlehem, Jenin, Tulkarm and Salfeet governorates at 29.1% each and the northern Jordan Valley at 32.7%, Jericho and the Jordan Valley at 27.3% and Qalqilya at 25.5%.
In the Gaza Strip, the work of CSOs in northern Gaza stood at 40%, Khan Younis at 29.1% Gaza City at 40%, Rafah at 25.5% and Deir Al Balah at 27.3%.
The locations of Palestinian CSO included in the survey were distributed among cities, camps and villages, with the majority of CSOs concentrated in cities, at 74.5%. Villages were the headquarters of 16.4% of the institutions while only 9.1% were based on camps. This distribution reflects the urban concentration of CSOs and highlights the need for increased presence in rural areas and in camps, to promote inclusiveness and access to marginalized and vulnerable sectors.
The size of Palestinian CSOs participating in this survey varied in terms of the number of employees. The survey showed that 27.3% of institutions include from one to 10 employees, while 16.4% have 11 to 15 employees. The largest majority of CSOs, 41.8% had between 16 and 30 employees while only 14.5% of institutions had over 31 employees. This distribution reflects the variety in size of CSOs, with most institutions either small or medium size, which is compatible with the survey sample.
To view the full Factsheet as PDF
Sexual violence as a weapon of genocide
Date posted: October 09, 2024
By MIFTAH
Background
Since the beginning of its illegal occupation in 1967, Israel has detained over 1 million Palestinians, who are tried in Israeli military courts with a conviction rate close to 100%. Israel also detains Palestinians with no charge or trial for an indefinite period under so-called “administrative detention”. This policy of mass arbitrary arrest is one of the tools used to maintain Israel's illegal occupation, apartheid regime and settler-colonial project.
To date, over 10,400 Palestinians have been arbitrarily arrested since October, 2023. The conditions of Palestinian prisoners have significantly deteriorated since the beginning of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, and imprisoned Palestinians are being subjected to torture, starvation, violent cell raids, including with tear gas, deliberate medical negligence, denial of food, water, sanitary pads and sanitation, as well as denial of lawyers and family visits.
Despite the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment under international law, Israeli occupation forces and prison authorities employ various torture and ill-treatment techniques against almost all Palestinian political prisoners and detainees, including women and children, leaving grave physical and psychological damage. Israeli prison authorities, occupation forces and interrogators feel emboldened to commit such acts of torture with full impunity, knowing that neither the complicit Israeli legal system nor the international community will hold them accountable.
While sexual violence against Palestinian women and men has long been a tactic of torture at Israeli military checkpoints, during raids on their own homes and inside prisons, it has rapidly increased since the start of the genocide in Gaza. Palestinian women are often hesitant to share such stories, in fear of the associated social stigma, something which Israel exploits, and also due to the belief that Israel’s crimes will go unpunished.
Access the full factsheet here.
