VZCZCXYZ0010
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJMA #0532 0801559
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF1486 0801546
O 211559Z MAR 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000532 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KPAL KWBG KDEM
SUBJECT: CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION PROCEEDS WITH VOTER 
REGISTRATION 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 00517 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  AT A MARCH 20 MEETING OF THE ELECTION 
REFORMS SUPPORT GROUP (ERSG), CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION 
(CEC) CHAIRMAN HANNA NASIR TOLD DONORS THAT THE CEC WILL 
UPDATE ITS VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS IN ALL DISTRICTS MARCH 
28-APRIL 1 AND HOPES TO REGISTER SOME 300,000 NEW VOTERS.  HE 
SAID THE CEC DID NOT DELIBERATELY DELAY VOTER REGISTRATION 
UPDATE UNTIL THE CREATION OF THE NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT 
(NUG), BUT THE NUG HAS CREATED A CALMER SITUATION IN WHICH TO 
CONDUCT THE UPDATE.  NASIR ADDED THAT UPDATING VOTER 
REGISTRATION LISTS IS NECESSARY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT ROUNDS 
OF LOCAL ELECTIONS, WHICH HE BELIEVES WILL TAKE PLACE BEFORE 
YEAR END.  HE SAID THE CEC HAS SERIOUS FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. 
HE ALSO SAID THE PALESTINIAN BASIC LAW REQUIRES THAT, IF THE 
PRESIDENT IS INCAPACITATED, RESIGNS, OR DIES IN OFFICE, NEW 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS MUST BE HELD WITHIN 60 DAYS.  NASIR 
ARGUED THAT THIS SHORT TIME LIMIT FORCES THE CEC TO MAINTAIN 
A STATE OF READINESS THAT INCREASES ITS MONTHLY EXPENSES. 
THE CEC IS SEEKING RAPID DONOR SUPPORT, AND NASIR SAYS HE 
WILL LOBBY THE PLC TO INCREASE THE TIME LIMIT TO 90 OR 100 
DAYS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
VOTER REGISTRATION WILL PROCEED IN ALL DISTRICTS 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) CEC CHAIRMAN HANNA NASIR WELCOMED THE NUG AT THE 
MARCH 20 ERSG AND SAID HE BELIEVES THE NUG WILL BRING A 
PERIOD OF CALM AND OPEN UP THE POSSIBILITY OF A HAMAS-FATAH 
AGREEMENT ON EARLY ELECTIONS.  HE SAID THE CEC HAD PLANNED AN 
UPDATE OF ITS VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS FOR SOME TIME, BUT THE 
DATE KEPT SLIPPING BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY SITUATION AND THE 
MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION'S UNWILLINGNESS TO ALLOW THE CEC 
TO USE PA SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR THE REGISTRATION DRIVE.  NASIR 
EXPLAINED THAT THE NUG "PUSHED BACK THE ISSUE OF EARLY 
ELECTIONS," AND MADE THE SITUATION "CALMER."  THIS MEANS A 
MORE "MANAGEABLE SITUATION," NASIR SAID, FOR THE CEC'S VOTER 
REGISTRATION SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN ALL PALESTINIAN 
DISTRICTS MARCH 28-APRIL 1.  NASIR SAID THE CEC HOPES TO 
REGISTER AT LEAST 300,000 NEW VOTERS AND WILL CONDUCT AN 
EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAT BEGINS TWO DAYS BEFORE THE 
REGISTRATION AND CONTINUES THROUGHOUT.  POLITICAL PARTIES AND 
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS WILL OBSERVE THE REGISTRATION 
UPDATE. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) NASIR EXPLAINED THAT PA MINISTER OF HIGHER 
EDUCATION NASER EDIN A-SHAAR REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE CEC 
SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR VOTER REGISTRATION UNTIL THE NUG WAS 
FORMED.  NASIR SAID THE CEC REFUSED TO WAIT AND PROCEEDED 
WITH THE PLANNING FOR THE REGISTRATION IN ORDER TO AVOID THE 
APPEARANCE THAT THE CEC TAKES ORDERS FROM A GOVERNMENT 
MINISTER.  INSTEAD, THE CEC WILL PUT ITS 574 REGISTRATION 
CENTERS IN UNRWA SCHOOLS, YOUTH CLUBS, AND OTHER FACILITIES 
THROUGHOUT THE WEST BANK AND GAZA.  NASIR SAID HIS DECISION 
SENDS THE CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THE CEC IS TOTALLY INDEPENDENT 
FROM ANY PA GOVERNMENT. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) NASIR STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF UPDATING THE VOTER 
REGISTRATION LISTS BEFORE THE NEXT ROUND OF LOCAL ELECTIONS 
AND ADDED THAT HE BELIEVES LOCAL ELECTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE 
THIS YEAR, GIVEN PM HANNIYEH'S REFERENCE TO THEIR IMPORTANCE 
IN HIS MARCH 17 SPEECH TO THE PLC (REFTEL). 
 
PROBLEMS 
-------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) NASIR PROVIDED THE BUDGET FOR VOTER REGISTRATION, A 
BREAKDOWN OF CEC FINANCES AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, MONTHLY 
RUNNING COSTS, AND ESTIMATED FINANCES AT THE END OF MARCH. 
HE POINTED OUT THAT BY THE END OF MARCH THE CEC EXPECTS TO 
HAVE ONLY USD 75,000, AND FACE MONTHLY OPERATING COSTS OF USD 
180,000.  NASIR EXPLAINED THAT THE CEC HAS DOWNSIZED TO CUT 
MONTHLY OPERATIONAL COSTS AND IS PREPARED TO DOWNSIZE FURTHER 
AFTER THE VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE.  HE ESTIMATED THAT 
DOWNSIZING WILL SAVE THE CEC APPROXIMATELY USD 500,000 PER 
YEAR.  NASIR SAID THE CEC'S FINANCIAL PROBLEMS STEM PARTIALLY 
FROM HIGH OPERATING COSTS THAT RESULT FROM THE REQUIREMENT 
THAT CEC MAINTAIN A HIGH STATE OF READINESS.  ACCORDING TO 
THE PALESTINIAN BASIC LAW, THE CEC MUST ADMINISTER ELECTIONS 
WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE INCAPACITATION, RESIGNATION, OR DEATH 
OF THE PRESIDENT.  HE SAID HE WILL LOBBY THE PLC TO CHANGE 
THE 60 DAY PERIOD TO A PERIOD OF 90 OR 100 DAYS. 
 
SOLUTION? 
--------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC) REPRESENTATIVE TO THE 
ERSG SAID THE CEC COULD PROBABLY USE THE BALANCE OF THE EC 
 
 
DONATION (ALMOST USD 900,000) TO FUND THE VOTER REGISTRATION 
CAMPAIGN, AND THEN SUBMIT A NEW BUDGET TO THE EC FOR FUNDING. 
 HE NOTED THAT THE CEC HAS COME TO THE ERSG SEVERAL TIMES 
WHEN ITS FUNDS WERE VERY SHORT AND REQUESTED EMERGENCY 
FUNDING, BUT THAT THE CEC SHOULD DEVELOP A LONGER TERM BUDGET 
AND REQUEST FUNDING ON THAT BASIS.  HE SEEMED OPTIMISTIC 
ABOUT EC FUNDING FOR THE CEC AND WILL FOLLOW UP WITH NASIR IN 
THE NEXT WEEK.  THE CEC WILL THEN SOLICIT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT 
FROM THE ERSG. 
 
WALLES