The Palestinian vote
Israel should permit full elections

January 13, 2006

When Israel's cabinet meets Sunday to resolve an increasingly bitter dispute with Palestinians and within its own leadership, it is almost certain to do the right thing and allow Palestinians in East Jerusalem to vote in the Jan. 25 parliamentary elections.

In doing so, it would also allow the inclusion of Hamas candidates in the ballots distributed in that section of the city, however distasteful or worrisome candidates from the terror group may be to Israelis.

Earlier this week, it appeared virtually certain that Israel would reverse its ban on voting. But partly because of crossed signals and internal rivalries among key cabinet members vying to succeed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the inclusion of Hamas candidates from the ballots became a stumbling block.

Talk of a ban was prompted by fears that Hamas would do very well in the elections and its margin might be boosted if Palestinians in East Jerusalem were allowed to vote. Those concerns are valid. Opinion polls show that Hamas gained considerable support after Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip and the group battled the security forces of increasingly hapless Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to a standstill for its control. If Hamas were to join the Palestinian government on the basis of its likely parliamentary strength, hopes for the resumption of the moribund peace process might dim: One of Hamas' founding principles is the destruction of Israel.

But once Hamas becomes part of the political process it might modify its stance on the legitimacy of Israel. It wasn't long ago that the PLO claimed Israel had no right to exist as a state. That changed as Fatah gained power. So maybe there is hope.

In any case, for a democracy like Israel's the voting ban in any form is unjustifiable, especially since ballots in East Jerusalem were allowed in two previous Palestinian votes. The ban must be reversed, as the cabinet seems ready to do.

Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.