A letter to the international community in support of municipal elections in Palestine

This letter was drafted by Pal-Think for Strategic Studies and signed by 52 Palestinian civil institutions

A letter to the international community to endorse and support the municipal elections in Palestine

The international community, which supported the Palestinians' right to self-determination, bears a great responsibility now: supporting the recovery of the democracy halted for years, and helping the Palestinian people strengthen the national reconciliation whose first steps began with the formation of the national accord government in June 2014.

The Palestinian government has responded to the calls and demands of Palestinian civil society by organising the municipal elections in the Palestinian territories and not confining them to the West Bank governorates only, as was the case in 2012. Thus came the Palestinian national accord government's decision to organise the elections on 8 October in the northern governorates and the Gaza Strip, and in 416 municipalities and village councils — in keeping with the ambition and hopes of the Palestinian people and in a way that strengthens unity, prosperity, and stability.

The recognition of the State of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015 and the formation of the national accord government in June 2014 represent a completion of the course of building the state's institutions — among them the civil-organisations sector — and the strengthening of the local-government sector. Ten years have passed of the Palestinian division, which froze the democratic process. These elections will give the opportunity for the first time to tens of thousands of young people to practise one of their most important political rights: the right to vote and to stand.

The elections scheduled in the local-government sector represent a very important step in the process of building the institutions of the State of Palestine, in a way that enables it to develop the humanitarian and development services for the Palestinian people. The municipal elections are important for strengthening communal participation and in qualifying new elected leaderships. The local-government bodies are the first provider of humanitarian and development services to the Palestinian people. They are likewise necessary for renewing the legitimacy of the institutions of the State of Palestine, which paves the way for holding the legislative and presidential elections in a way that strengthens the comprehensive national reconciliation.

We come before the international community to take a clear position supporting the municipal elections and to show its complete readiness to cooperate with the elected bodies. It is an opportunity for the international community generally, and the Western particularly, to tie word to deed concerning the support of democracy in Palestine.

The signatories:

	Name	Institution / capacity
1.	Mr Iyad Abu Hjayer	The Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution
2.	Dr Aed Yaghi	Palestinian Medical Relief
3.	Dr Ibrahim Muammar	The National Association for Democracy and Law
4.	Ms Sawsan Yousef	The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development
5.	Ms Hanan Siyam	The Society for the Advancement of the Palestinian Family
6.	Mr Talal Abu Rokba	The Ramallah Centre for Human Rights Studies
7.	Mr Aref al-Jaffal	Al-Marsad (The Observatory)
8.	Eng. Ali Abu Shahla	Consultant
9.	Mr Omar Shaban	Pal-Think for Strategic Studies
10.	Eng. Imad al-Falouji	The Adam Centre for the Dialogue of Civilizations
11.	Mr Maher Issa	The Civil Society Studies Institute (CIVITAS)
12.	Mr Mohsen Abu Ramadan	The Arab Centre for Agricultural Development – the Dr Haidar Abdel Shafi Centre for Culture and Development
13.	Mr Mohammed Hijazi	Writer and political researcher
14.	Mr Bahjat al-Helou	The Independent Commission for Human Rights
15.	Mr Hatem Abu Taha	The United Cultural Social Association
16.	Mr Osama Murtaja	The Palestinian National Youth Association
17.	Mr Husam Abu al-Nasr	The Beit al-Quds Institution
18.	Mr Hasan al-Wali	The League of Displaced and Uprooted Palestinians — IDPs League
19.	Mr Hasan Abdo	Political researcher
20.	Dr Kamal Qudaih	The Bright Tomorrow Association
21.	Dr Raed Hilles	Researcher and writer in economic affairs
22.	Mr Ashraf Akka	The Freedoms Forum – Palestine
23.	Ms Aya Hatem Jawad Isleem	Al-Umma University for Open Education — graduates department
24.	Mr Hijazi Mohammed al-Qurashli	Lawyer + consultant (formerly of the General Personnel Bureau)
25.	The Centre for Women's Legal Research and Consulting	Center for Women’s Legal Researches and Consulting
26.	The Institute for Development Studies	Institute for development studies
27.	Mr Mousa Rimawi	MADA – the Palestinian Centre for Development and Media Freedoms
28.	Dr Nahed Zaqout	Director-general of the Abdullah al-Hourani Centre for Studies and Documentation
29.	Dr Nahed Eid	Effects for Consulting and Training
30.	Mr Nadim Qandil	The REFORM institution
31.	Ms Wafa Abdel Rahman	The Filastiniyat institution
32.	Mr Yusri Darwish	The General Union of Cultural Centres
33.	Ms Wafa al-Bahr Abu Ghosh	Director of Palestinian affairs at the Palestinian Planning Centre in the Liberation Organization
34.	Dr Abdel Karim al-Madhoun	University of Palestine
35.	Mr Alaa al-Din Salama	The Khalideen Charitable Association
36.	Mr Mohammed Dawoud	Al-Aqsa University
37.	Mr Mohammed Shaath	University of Palestine
38.	Mr Mohammed Mohammed al-Nahwi	The Local Association for Communal Services
39.	Mr Mahmoud Naseef Ghazal	Journalist
40.	Dr Mazen Hamada	Al-Azhar University
41.	Mr Ihsan al-Masri	Youth activist
42.	Mr Hussein Hammad	Rights activist
43.	Ms Raneen Ziyara	Pal-Think for Strategic Studies
44.	Mr Sami al-Braim	Researcher and specialist in psychology
45.	Mr Saed Walid Abdallah al-Aqqad	Youth activist
46.	Mr Saeed Jalal Shaath	Youth activist
47.	Mr Saleh Anbar	Translator and youth activist
48.	Mr Mohammed al-Tatari	Youth activist
49.	Mr Mohammed al-Farra	Pal-Think for Strategic Studies
50.	Mr Hani Shehada	Journalist
51.	Mr Salama al-Zaanin	The Family Development Charitable Association