WEST BANK: TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON PALESTINIANS IN WEST BANK AND GAZA AS ISRAELIS BEGIN VOTING IN COUNTRY'S GENERAL ELECTION

Record ID: 861094

  • Title: WEST BANK: TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON PALESTINIANS IN WEST BANK AND GAZA AS ISRAELIS BEGIN VOTING IN COUNTRY'S GENERAL ELECTION
  • Date: 28th January 2003
  • Summary: (U2) QALANDIA CHECKPOINT, WEST BANK (JANUARY 28, 2003) (REUTERS) MV: WATCHTOWER AT ROAD BLOCK/ ISRAELI FLAG NEXT TO ROAD BLOCK MV: ANOTHER WATCH TOWER MV: ISRAELI SOLDIERS STANDING AT ROAD BLOCK WITH PALESTINIAN CAR SV: TWO SOLDIERS AT CHECKPOINT SV: ISRAELI FLAG FLYING (R-L) MV: PALESTINIAN ON BIKE SHOWING I.D. TO SOLDIERS SLV: PALESTINIANS WITH PERMITS TO ENTER JERUSALEM WALKING ACROSS CHECKPOINT
  • Embargoed: 12th February 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: QALANDIA CHECKPOINT, WEST BANK
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA637NBQ0DPP54CBY4O5JNE5NWZ
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Israel has imposed travel restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza as Israelis began voting in a general election in which Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud party was expected to coast to victory bolstered by support for his tough policies against a Palestinian revolt.
    The army imposed a ban on Palestinian travel in the West Bank and Gaza and barred Palestinians from entering Israel until after the election.
    Israel, which has reoccupied most West Bank cities after a wave of suicide bombings, cited warnings that militants were planning attacks timed to coincide with election day.
    Israelis began voting in a general election on Tuesday (January 28) in which Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud party was expected to coast to victory.
    Sharon was likely to face a more daunting challenge forging a lasting coalition among rival parties that have come to reflect not only hawks against doves but the growing secular-versus-religious divide in Israeli society.
    Final opinion polls showed Sharon's right-wing Likud set to increase its strength to 30 to 33 seats in the 120-seat parliament, while its main opponent, the centre-left Labour Party led by Amram Mitzna, was forecast falling to 18 or 19.
    Sharon, 74-years-old has benefited from the Israeli electorate's lurch to the right after 28 months of a Palestinian revolt for independence in which Palestinian suicide bombings have killed hundreds of Israelis.
    Mitzna, 57-years-old, has failed to ignite support from a shell-shocked public for his more conciliatory approach.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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