Members of the International Community who have supported the Palestinian struggle for autonomy and self-determination now hold the key to the reunification of Palestine and the national healing process engaged with the formation in 2014 of a Palestinian Consensus Government.

Responding to civil society demands and rejecting the “West Bank First” approach advocated by some, the Palestinian Consensus Government (PCG) reversed an earlier decision to host municipal elections only in the West Bank Territories. Saying, “Our objective is to build unity and promote stability and prosperity for all Palestinians”, the government decreed that municipal elections would be held on Saturday October 8, 2016 for all 416 Palestinian municipal councils in Gaza and in the West Bank.

With the formation in 2014 of the Palestinian Consensus Government and recognition of Palestinian state sovereignty by the United Nations General Assembly in September of 2015, the process of reconstruction for Palestinian civil society and national reconciliation is well underway. The next step will be to elect and empower municipal governments.

It has been 10 years since the divisive events of 2006 which led to the suspension of the democracy. Thus, it will be the first opportunity in 10 years for young people to vote in a democratic process and in realizing on of their basic right.

The 2016 municipal elections are a fundamental first step toward rebuilding Palestine’s institutions which will improve fundamentally the humanitarian and developmental services for the people of Palestine   and we request the support and understanding of our friends and longtime partners. If this is a first step in empowering a new generation of decision makers, it is also a necessary step in reconstituting the Palestinian Legislative Council and presidential  legislative forum for debating and reconciling national interests.

We call upon the international community to take a clear position in support of the municipal elections and to express its readiness to cooperate with elected municipal authorities. Municipal authorities are the first provider of services to the Palestinian people and municipal empowerment is absolutely essential to improving humanitarian and developmental services to the Palestinian people. It is also a matter of validating the Western narrative in support of democracy for Palestine.