Student Blocs
An Introduction
Before the student council was dissolved a few weeks ago, the Islamic Bloc held a plurality in the BZU Student Council, sharing power with several leftist parties to form a government, and expects to retain a similar percentage of the vote in the upcoming election.
The Islamic Bloc's campaign is focusing primarily on national issues that it sees as fundamental to Palestinian society. Their slogan--"Emphasis on the national struggle to free all of Palestine"--clearly reflects this position. The Islamic Bloc incorporates religious symbolism into its campaign to emphasize the threat to Islam and the sanctity of the Dome of the Rock. The campaign focus will be centred on Jerusalem, continued Israeli settlements, and the condemnation of the Oslo peace process.
The Islamic Bloc alleges that its main rival, Jerusalem Bloc, is part and parcel with the Palestinian Security Service. A spokesperson underlined the problems in the performance of the Palestinian Authority with regard to prisoners held in Israeli jails, and the curtailment of freedom of speech.
It should be noted that, while individual members of the Islamic Bloc may align themselves with Hamas, the Islamic Bloc is a nationwide student organization independent of this group.
Funding unknown
Traditionally, the Jerusalem Bloc has been a associated with Arafat's Fatah movement. As dissatisfaction with Arafat's performance has grown, the Jerusalem Bloc has distanced itself from the Palestinian Authority, and stresses that it is an independent political party free from PA control. This desire is reflected in its slogan: "Long Live Birzeit University as a Source of Knowledge and of Democracy."
The Jerusalm Bloc's campaign message is focused on the continuation of national struggle until an independent Palestinian state has been founded, advocating the organization of protests against settlement expansion. The Jerusalem Bloc also aligns itself with BZU's democratic traditions by stressing that a vote for the Jerusalem Bloc is a vote for democracy. The Jerusalem Bloc has spoken out against the presence of PA security forces operating on campus and has expressed a willingness to act against injustices carried out by the PA. If the bloc can convince students that this is the case, they may manage to recoup some of the seats they lost to the Islamic Bloc last year.
The Jerusalem Bloc is the best financed student bloc: their election budget last year was US$10,000.
The left has traditionally been the underdog in BZU elections, but have often found room in Student Council governments as coalition partners. This year, the socialist/communist parties have united under one flag, and may win some seats from the Jerusalem Bloc and the Islamic Bloc. Tagging the Left-Bloc as communist, however, may be a mistake. Their campaign slogan highlights the principles of freedom of speech and democracy, and their campaign icon--a rainbow-coloured fountain pen--is a clear allusion to the old cliche of the pen vs. the sword, as well as pluralism. The Left-Bloc has also taken to distributing pens around campus as part of its campaign.
The Left Bloc loudly advocates a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital, but has broken with traditional BZU student politics by 1) placing a much higher emphasis on student issues and 2) dealing with problems of student life beyond tuition fees. Spokespeople mentioned several items on their agenda that are important to the students on campus. Although the Left-Bloc has pledged to fight rising tuition fees, it has also promised to prod the administration into completing the construction of a student center (construction was started in the 1980s, but remains incomplete due to Israeli closures during the Intifada, and shrinking donations from Gulf countries after the Gulf War).
Funding for this election is US$2000.
Changes is a new player on the BZU political scene, and unlikely to gain any seats at the expense of the three major blocs listed above. Closely associated with "natives," (western born Palestinians who returned after the signing of Oslo I) this bloc is disatisfied with the traditional political parties' emphasis on national issues. Instead, the Changes hopes to refocus the political process onto core student issues, including tuition, expanding and improving the curricula, and instituting a campus recycling program. Changes has also pledged to reach out to all students regardless of political persuasion. Changes has also made special efforts to criticize the work of the Specialization Committee which is responsible for improving student life.
Changes has modest goals for the present, but has made a long term committment to inject something new into Birzeit's political process.
Funding unknown
The Muslim Gathering decided this year to name its block after Fathi Shiqaqi, who was assassinated (presumably by Israeli agents) in Malta in October 1995. Fathi Shiqaqi was one of the founders of Islamic Jihad in Palestine, and a Birzeit University graduate. Students close to the Bloc of the Martyr Fathi Shiqaqi noted that Israel considered him dangerous because he called for the liberation of Palestine and the establishment of an Islamic state.
Even though the Bloc did not run in the 1996 BZU elections, the bloc was active last year, publishing photo essays of the September clashes, political cartoons, and a book.
The Muslim Gathering's platform includes stressing the need for greater financial aid for students, obtaining office/meeting space for student political blocs on campus, and teaching about and promoting Islam on campus.
Funding unknown
Information last updated 9 April 1997