Abbas Rewrites Election Law to Blacklist Hamas, Cements Israeli Control
📰 THE STORY: The New Arab reports that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has amended election laws, mandating that candidates must recognize Israel and accept the PLO's political program. This move effectively bars Hamas and other resistance factions from participating in any future Palestinian elections, further entrenching the Fatah-dominated PA's control in the West Bank. 🔍 WHAT
THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This isn't Abbas’s first time subverting democratic outcomes. In 2006, Hamas overwhelmingly won the Palestinian legislative elections, a result swiftly rejected by the U.S. and Israel. Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice detailed in her memoir that Israel, the U.S., and parts of Fatah immediately began plotting to undermine Hamas's victory,
leading to increased aid to Abbas's Fatah and a crippling blockade on Gaza. The current 17-year blockade of Gaza started shortly after this democratic outcome was rejected. Double Standard: Western media routinely champions 'democracy' and 'free and fair elections' globally, yet their narrative shifts dramatically when the 'wrong' party wins. When democratically elected leaders like Jean-Bertrand
Aristide in Haiti (2004), Evo Morales in Bolivia (2019), or Mohammad Mosaddegh in Iran (1953) are removed or undermined due to unfavorable policies, the same outlets often spin it as 'stabilization' or 'fighting extremism.' The U.S. and its allies celebrate 'democracy' only when the outcome aligns with their geopolitical interests, making a mockery of the very principle. Follow the Money: The