On the backdrop of ongoing violent assaults against electoral offices, Lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi warned on Wednesday against disrupting or postponing the legislative election, scheduled for January 25, held the Palestinian National authority (PNA) responsible for the security chaos and urged the ruling Fatah movement to put its house in order, saying that “Fatah cannot unilaterally decide the fate of the electoral process.â€
Ashrawi told reporters that she was speaking on behalf of the “Liberty List†that will be announced on Thursday.
This "Liberty List" is actually interesting*, and Ashrawi has arguably been among the more moderate palestinian spokespeople, but this description by the Palestine Media Center is just plain odd.
The veteran Palestinian peace activist was reacting to violence on Tuesday, which resulted in the closure of the CEC offices in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in protest.
The violence is a “very dangerous escalation that must be faced firmly by the PNA,†Ashrawi said.
In her interview with Ashrawi for the Jersualem Post last December (original link gone, of course), Ruthie Blum called her "a self-proclaimed reformist and human rights activist." That's a bit closer to the mark.
*By the way, reputed Liberty List member Yasser Abed Rabbo just happens to be the founder and director of the PMC.
