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DE RUEHJM #0324/01 0241705
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O 241705Z JAN 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9891
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000324 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2016 
TAGS: PREL KWBG PGOV PINS PTER KPAL IS PBTS KDEM
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS SITREP 
#11: JANUARY 24, 2006: SENIOR FATAH ACTIVIST KILLED IN 
NABLUS; ALLEGED USG FUNDING CRITICIZED 
 
 
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: A senior Fatah activist associated with 
Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) candidate Ghassan 
Shakaa was killed in Nablus early on January 24, reportedly 
by gunmen associated with rival Fatah leader Jamal al-Tirawi. 
 Large Fatah and Hamas rallies on January 23 marked the 
official end of campaigning in the West Bank and Gaza.  Hamas 
candidates criticized alleged USG funding of Fatah 
candidates.  Hamas released a statement saying a senior 
member of its military wing had escaped an assassination 
attempt in Gaza.  The Israeli High Court rejected a petition 
to prevent Hamas and PFLP from participating in PLC elections 
in Jerusalem.  Voting by PA Security Forces (PASF) ended on 
January 23.  CEC officials estimated a turnout of over 92 
percent of eligible, registered security personnel.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
Senior Fatah Activist 
Killed in Nablus 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Ahmad Hasouneh, a senior Fatah activist was shot and 
killed in Nablus reportedly by gunmen affiliated with a rival 
Fatah faction.  Hasouneh has been a prominent member of Fatah 
PLC candidate Ghassan Shakaa's campaign staff.  Local 
contacts speculated to ConGen POL FSN that individuals 
associated with al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (AMB) leader Jamal 
al-Tirawi were responsible for the killing.  Rival Fatah 
factions exchanged fire later in the day in the vicinity of 
Balata Camp.  Reportedly, no one was injured.  Acting 
Governor of Nablus Said Abu Ali told POL FSN during a January 
24 telcon that mounting tensions in the city between the 
factions may effect voter turnout on Election Day, but said 
he will do everything possible to prevent clashes. 
 
Large Rallies Mark 
End of Campaigning 
------------------ 
 
¶3. (C) Election campaigning officially ended January 23. 
Nearly 30,000 Fatah members and supporters gathered in Khan 
Yunis in a final campaign rally.  Ten Fatah independent 
candidates announced during the rally that they are pulling 
out of the race in favor of the official Fatah candidates. 
Hamas supporters marched in Gaza City, Ramallah, Nablus and 
other areas in a show of force ahead of Election Day. 
 
Reports of USG Funding for 
Fatah Criticized 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Hamas PLC candidate Ismael Hanniyah (National 
List/Number 1) said reports of USG funding of PLC candidates 
constitute a blatant violation of "America's supposed 
democratic principles."  Hanniyah said money tainted with 
"the blood of Arabs and Muslims" would not detract from 
Hamas's popularity and Palestinians will reject any leaders 
who come to power with USG financial or military assistance. 
Several Palestinian factions, including Hamas, PFLP, DFLP, 
FIDA, and National Struggle Front, released statements 
condemning the alleged US funding of Fatah candidates and 
demanding an investigation.  Central Elections Committee 
(CEC) Director Ammar Dweik defended the USG during a January 
23 televised debate, explaining funds were provided to the PA 
and not PLC candidates.  Consul General categorically denied 
that the USG provided funds to candidates or political 
parties in a January 24 TV interview with Ma'an News Agency. 
The interview has aired twice on Ma'an's network of 11 
stations in the West Bank and Gaza. 
 
Fattuh Pushing for Post-Election 
Fatah Reforms 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) During a January 24 interview with local reporters, 
PLC Speaker Rawhi Fattuh warned that certain armed groups are 
planning to attack polling stations on Election Day.  Fattuh 
said that after the PLC election he will propose expanding 
the membership of the Fatah Central Committee (FCC) from 17 
to 100 members and expanding the Fatah Revolutionary Council 
(FRC) from 120 to 250 members.  Fattuh also said that his 
proposal includes establishing a political bureau of 25 
members to lead the movement.  Fattuh is not running in the 
PLC elections, but has called for restructuring Fatah during 
the campaign 
 
Attempted Assassination of 
 
 
Hamas Military Leader 
------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Hamas released a statement saying a senior member of 
its military wing in Gaza City, 'Abd al-Hadi Siam, escaped a 
January 23 assassination attempt in Gaza City.  The statement 
said that the individuals responsible are known to Hamas and 
that they will be held accountable after the election. 
ConGen contacts reported Siam was not hurt in the attack and 
that the individuals responsible for the attacked were also 
responsible for January 4 killing of Hamas activist Rami 
Adlo. 
 
GOI High Court Declines to 
Intervene in Jerusalem Vote 
--------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Israeli High Court of Justice rejected a 
petition made by Palmah Ze'evi, son of the assassinated 
Tourism Minister, and MK Gilad Erdan to prevent Hamas and 
PFLP from participating in the PLC elections in Jerusalem. 
The panel of three judges, including Supreme Court President 
Aharon Barak, did not issue a statement explaining their 
decision 
 
Media Reports: 
 
¶8. (SBU) Campaigning for the Palestinian legislative 
elections came to a close yesterday, and the three main 
Palestinian dailies reported that more than 90% of the 
security forces have voted.  Reports also noted that 
preparations are under way for public voting tomorrow. 
 
-- The papers carried the Palestinian government's call for 
all Palestinians to exercise their right -- and national duty 
-- to vote.  Al-Ayyam carried above-the-fold pictures of 
Palestinians taking part in a Fatah campaigning event in Khan 
Yunis in the Gaza Strip. 
 
-- Al-Hayat Al-Jadida ran a story on international observers, 
and noted that their presence in every voting center reflects 
the world,s interest in the Palestinian legislative 
elections. 
 
-- The former Prime Minister of Sweden, who is leading an 
international monitoring team, was quoted in the dailies as 
saying that he expects the upcoming legislative elections to 
have more credibility than the presidential elections did 
last year. 
 
-- Al-Quds reported that the Israeli forces broke into the 
village of Surbaher, near Jerusalem, and removed all 
campaigning posters. 
 
-- The newspapers announced that in an effort to allow 
Palestinian legislative elections to proceed smoothly, Israel 
ordered its military forces to not carry out any operations 
in the West Bank from tomorrow morning until midnight. 
 
Op-eds: 
 
-- Al-Quds editorialized that regardless of which party, 
faction or movement wins seats in the next legislative 
council, the international forces &must respect the 
Palestinian people,s decision and allow the next cabinet to 
carry out its difficult duties and mission.& 
 
-- Hasan al-Batal opined in Al-Ayyam that Americans know that 
democratic Palestinian elections that in turn lead to a 
democratic Palestinian state would help the United States to 
"whiten its misdeeds" of imposing democracy by force in the 
Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq. 
 
-- Ahmad Bahr commented in Al-Quds that no party or faction 
can deal with the (Israeli-Palestinian) conflict 
unilaterally.  Thus, as Hamas shares this responsibility it 
will direct its action toward the larger national project at 
Palestinian, regional, Islamic and international levels. 
 
-- Mohammad Madhoun commented in Al-Quds that a potential win 
for Hamas will not only be a victory for this group but also 
for the whole Islamic movement in the region, especially for 
those groups that adopt moderate views of Islam such as the 
Muslim Brotherhood. 
 
-- Ayman Yusuf opined in Al-Quds that by participating in the 
elections, Hamas seems to have realized that its sacrifices, 
including the substantial loss of life among its members, 
 
 
must now be coupled with political participation. 
 
WALLES