- Title: WEST BANK: CAMPAIGNING FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS MOVES INTO HIGH GEAR.
- Date: 8th April 1976
- Summary: 1. LV AND CU Street scene and sign in Beit-Jala. (2 shots) 0.08 2. SV PAN FROM Street TO election posters. 0.15 3. CU Posters being stuck on walls. 0.29 4. SV Posters being handed out. 0.37 5. CU Photographs of candidates on walls and in shop windows. (2 shots) 0.47 6. CU Man being interviewed by Israeli Television crew. (2 shots)
- Embargoed: 23rd April 1976 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WEST BANK
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Reuters ID: LVA5LR32IB1EYJ7NFEJH8A5VGT4I
- Story Text: Campaigning for municipal elections in Israeli-occupied territory on the West Bank of the River Jordan is slowly moving into high gear as election day (12 April) draws near.
Posters are being plastered on walls and handbills distributed to passers-by out in streets of the various municipalities. Candidates are being interviewed on Israeli television.
There are few mass meetings, but many small groups actively discuss major issues in private homes.
At official level, last minute checks are being made to ensure that the paper work is in order and that all polling station officials are acquainted with the rules governing the elections.
It is the first time that women are being allowed to vote and some have presented themselves as candidates.
Bethlehem's incumbent Mayor Elias Freij, one of the most moderate of West Bank leaders, has expressed the view that radical candidates will sweep to power with a vast majority in most towns. He said, however, that he was confident of being returned for another four-year term.
Occupation authorities have extended the deadline for registrations twice in order to persuade more candidates to stand for the election. Mayor Freij described this decision as a childish mistake and a contravention of Jordanian law under which the elections are being held.
SYNOPSIS: Campaigning for municipal elections in Israeli-occupied territory on the West Bank of the River Jordan is slowly moving into high gear as election day draws near. Posters are being plastered on walls and handbills distributed to passers-by on the streets of the various municipalities.
24 West Bank towns will be going to the polls. Political parties are banned under Israeli occupation but groups of like-minded candidates are free to campaign as a block. As a result, there have been a number of coalitions in most of the main towns. Interest in the campaigning has been kept high and several candidates have been interviewed by Israeli television.
Bethlehem's incumbent Mayor Elias Freij, one of the most moderate of West Bank leaders, has expressed the view that radical candidates will sweep to power with a vast majority in most towns. But he says has is confident of being returned for another four-year term.
At official level, last minute checks are being made to ensure that the paper work is in order and that all polling station officials are acquainted with the rules governing the elections, which are being held under Jordanian law. It is the first time that women will be voting in the elections and several of them are also taking part as candidates. Occupation authorities twice extended the deadline for registrations in order to persuade more candidates to stand.
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