Special Coordinator Serry’s statement on Palestinian local elections – Press release

Statement by the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process,

Mr. Robert Serry, on the Occasion of Palestinian Local Elections

Jerusalem, 20 October 2012

Upon the invitation of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission (CEC) to attend the local elections as guests, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Mr. Robert Serry, and his staff are visiting a number of polling stations today in Ramallah and environs. While the United Nations is neither officially monitoring the poll nor verifying its process, Mr. Serry considers it important that Palestinian citizens have the opportunity today to vote in local elections which are long overdue and to participate in decisions that directly affect their daily lives. Mr. Serry sincerely hopes that today’s poll will re-establish elections as a crucial component of an inclusive, democratic process and will serve as a prelude to general elections being organized next year in all of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) in the context of reconciliation.