In the first presidential elections in Palestine since the death of Yasser Arafat, the candidate favored by the US and Israel has declared victory. Mahmoud Abbas won more than 60% of the votes cast but voter turnout was low and there were widespread reports of problems at the polls. At least one independent candidate has called for a repeat of the election. After initial results were released, Abbas quickly declared himself the winner and dedicated his victory to the late Yasser Arafat. The runner-up to Abbas, Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, won approximately 20% of the votes. He alleged at a press conference that Palestinian security forces and others cast multiple ballots. And said that voters were harassed and intimidated by Israeli forces and that some Palestinians were prevented from voting. He said that contrary to media reports, Israel did not remove checkpoints to facilitate the free movement of voters to their elections centers. Barghouti also said that some 25,000 people who have been held at a checkpoint in Rafah for nearly a month by Israeli forces were unable to return to their hometowns to vote. Still, Barghouti said his candidacy represented a clear message from Palestinian voters: “We’ve managed to prove that we are a strong powerful democratic force. We’ve managed to prove that we represent a huge majority that has been silent so far but that is not silent any more. Which is not part of part of the existing polarism between Fatah and Islamic fundamentalism and that this huge silent majority wants a representative.”

Meanwhile, Senator John Kerry is continuing his tour of the Middle East. He met with Israeli Prime Minister General Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem, where Kerry said, “Israel is our special ally, our special friend. It’s a relationship that no-one can tear apart.” Kerry said: “The security of Israeli is the paramount concern. I know the Prime Minister has taken steps in order to protect that over the course of the last years. The United States, both parties, Republican and Democrat, stand behind Israel in that effort but we also, all of us, hope for the possibilities of peace in the days ahead and I look forward to my conversations with the Prime Minister.”