Israelis & Palestinians voting for joint Parliament this month
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/338524#ixzz2Ec05i6O3
By Aymen Zaben
On December 12, the Israeli Palestinian Confederation will hold its first election ever, allowing Israelis and Palestinians to vote as equals for President, Vice President and Parliament.
On December 12, the Israeli Palestinian Confederation will hold its first election ever, allowing Israelis and Palestinians to vote as equals for President, Vice President and Parliament.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, deeply rooted in religious and territorial disagreements, has been an issue in the Middle East for many years. With staunch views on both sides, conflict has been a given and has erupted into wars over the years with each side vying for control and fighting to prove who rightfully belongs in this small piece of land. In an area so often portrayed negatively in world media with seemingly perpetual conflict that is deeply rooted in religious and territorial disagreements, there is promising news on the horizon. The proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” may turn into a flickering flame that is going to bring about democracy in this ideologically and historically war-torn region. History will be made as this much-anticipated event unfolds.
December 12th, 2012 will be a very historical date on the calendar of Middle East politics. The Israeli Palestinian Confederation (IPC) will hold its first election ever in the West Bank, Gaza and Israel, allowing Palestinians and Israelis to vote as equals for a President, Vice president and a joint Parliament. The larger objective of the Israeli Palestinian Confederation is to act as a third government for the people of these warring nations. While the Israeli and Palestinian governments will remain in place and make decisions regarding all important issues, the Confederation will act as a mediator to help resolve issues on which both sides have failed to reach agreement. In addition, the IPC will help address issues that impact day to day life such as water, transportation, education, public safety and security.
The establishment of the Israeli Palestinian Confederation will consist of a President, Vice President and Parliament. The democratically elected president and vice president of the IPC will serve in 4 year terms with a maximum of 8 years in office. One will be from Israel and the other from Palestine. However, to maintain political balance the IPC constitution requires that the president and vice president alternate positions after 2 years. The Parliament, on the other hand, will consist of a combined total of 300 members made up of both Israelis and Palestinians. Each Member of Parliament can serve a maximum of 12 years in office.
To successfully pass legislation for ultimate government approval, a 55% vote is needed from each side. While there haven’t been very productive measures taken over the years to resolve the conflict, the creators of the IPC are hoping that great strides will be made on December 12, 2012. The creation of the IPC will help to quell long-held resentment through logic, reason, and diplomacy. Israelis and Palestinians will be able to select those that they see as being best fit to represent them in Parliament on December 12th, 2012, and the eyes of the World will be watching.
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/338524#ixzz2Ec05i6O3
