- Title: Palestinians see no good option in Israeli elections
- Date: 17th September 2019
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) CARS AT STREET IN GAZA, BUILDING AT SEA SIDE FISHERMEN AT SEA MAN WALKING AT SEA SIDE, SIGN FOR GAZA (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HAMAS SPOKESMAN IN GAZA, HAZEM QASSIM, SAYING: "Whatever the results will be that will never give this entity (Israel) legitimacy on our land. We heard that all the parties were using provocative agenda based on violence against Gaza and the annexation of the West Bank as well as neglecting our people's right of return and self-determination. Whatever the results of the election will be our nation will continue to resist until they have their rights back and establish their independent state with Jerusalem as the capital." VARIOUS OF GAZANS AT MARKET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GAZA RESIDENT, ABED MADFAA, SAYING: "What they (Israeli leaders) will offer me? Will they offer me job opportunities? Will they let workers go and work in Israel? No - according to their election agendas they want to go for a war against Gaza." PEOPLE AT MARKET GAZA RESIDENT TALAL SHUKANI TALKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GAZA RESIDENT TALAL SHUKANI, SAYING: "All of them (Israelis) are united against us no one will bring us good things, they will annex the West Bank and it will be full of settlements and they will tighten the siege on Gaza and only God can help us." RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING AT STREETSIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT FROM RAMALLAH, AHMED, 55, SAYING: "Both of them (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli armed forces chief Benny Gantz) are the same there is no difference between them. For the Palestinians it is their land and it was taken by force and will be (brought) back only by force." VEHICLES AT STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT FROM RAMALLAH, KAMAL KARAJEH,55, SAYING: "Nothing will change even if the opposition will win, that will change nothing, he (Netanyahu rival Benny Gantz) will act worse than Netanyhau, not only what we are expecting from Netanyahu but worse. Because whoever runs Israel now is the extreme right no one else." BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) TAXIS PARKED NEAR ISRAELI CHECKPOINT BETWEEN BETHLEHEM AND JERUSALEM MEN STANDING OUTSIDE ISRAELI CHECKPOINT NEAR WEST BARRIER GATE ISRAELI WATCHTOWER ISRAELI SECURITY AT CHECKPOINT
- Embargoed: 1st October 2019 09:55
- Keywords: Palestinians Israel election West Bank Gaza
- Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA / RAMALLAH AND BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK
- City: GAZA CITY, GAZA / RAMALLAH AND BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001AX1PMPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank shared the same opinion on Tuesday (September 17) about the Israeli election, seeing no good option for them.
Hamas spokesman in Gaza said "We heard that all the parties were using provocative agenda based on violence against Gaza and the annexation of the West Bank".
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) and will close at 10 p.m. when Israeli media will publish exit polls giving a first indication of the outcome.
The election was called after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition following an April election in which Likud and Blue and White were tied, each taking 35 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, or parliament. It's the first time Israel has ever had two general elections in a single year.
He faces a battle for political survival in a closely fought election that could end his 10-year domination of national politics.
Opinion polls put former armed forces chief Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White party neck-and-neck with Netanyahu's right-wing Likud, and suggest the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party could emerge as kingmaker in coalition talks.
The two main parties' campaigns in Israel's second parliamentary election in five months point to only narrow differences on many important issues: the regional struggle against Iran, ties with the Palestinians and the United States, and the economy.
Israel imposed a closure over the West Bank and Gaza during the Election Day.
(Production: Fadi Shana, Wafa Aby Mezyed, Arafat Barbak, Saed Hawari, Nehad Khalil, Abed Shana, Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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