December 16, 2003

The road between Zababdeh and the University has been busy today.

The town was abuzz with the student elections up at the Arab American University. Many of Zababdeh's Christian community go to school there, and so there is a significant Christian population (perhaps 10%) among the student body. At universities, student government is made of the same political parties as Palestinian society. 21 seats were up for vote. People were on edge, excited and anxious all day.

So far, Fatah (the PLO) has not captured a majority at any of the Palestinian universities, and there was a sense that this spelled a further radicalization (and perhaps marginalization) of the Palestinian public. AAUJ was the last institution to hold student elections. Late in the evening, the results came in: Fatah took a simple majority of 11 seats. The Islamic block (Jihad and Hamas) took 8, and the DFLP (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine) and PFLP (Popular Front) took one each. There were big celebrations in town as a result, most Christians belonging to Fatah or D/PFLP. Cars were coming and going, horns were honking all over town.

In the absence of any true democracy (both under the Israeli military occupation and as subjects of a Palestinian Authority which has little ability or desire to hold elections), this will have to do.