International

Today the Palestinian Central Election Commission opened 257 stations in Gaza, where Palestinian voters can register to participate in the coming elections. SP Senator Tiny Kox sees this as a hopeful new step forward, necessary because this year parliamentary and presidential elections will be held in the whole of Palestine.

Senator Kox is rapporteur for the Council of Europe for relations with Palestine. Since 2011 Palestine has been a special partner country of Europe’s biggest organisation involved with international law, one with forty-seven member states. The obligations which Palestine has accepted in relation to this special partnership include the organisation of elections for a new parliament and a new president. Last year, however, the Hamas authorities in Gaza blocked the necessary voter registration process. This blockage has now been lifted, thanks to rapprochement agreements reached between the different Palestinian factions in Cairo, where discussions also took place on a new Palestinian government, for which the coming elections should prepare the ground.