Blocs In Action Day 1
The first day of the election campaign began with the traditional round of election campaign rallys. During these rallies the blocs aim to demonstrate the main points and themes of their campaigns.
Jerusalem Bloc
The Jerusalem Bloc (or 'Shabiba') received the second highest number of votes last year with 35.96% of voters supporting them and taking 19 seats. Birzeit Student elections have traditionally been a contest between the pro-Fatah Jerusalem Bloc and the Islamic Bloc. The years 1995 and 1997 saw the Jerusalem Bloc win a majority while in 1996, 1998 and 1999 the Islamic Bloc came out ahead.
As in previous years, the Jerusalem Bloc concentrated this year on the issue of Jerusalem and prisoners.
Unity
Unity (Al-Wehdheh) is a left-leaning bloc that ran as part of the Democratic Pole from 1997-1999. This year they have left the Pole and are running separately. Like the other left blocs this year, they focused their first day of campaigns on the issue of student unity and the difficult economic conditions that many students are facing. They are also addressing the issue of privatization within the university.
Students Union
Another left bloc supportive of the Palestine People's Party. Last year they ran as part of the Democratic Pole but this year they are running independently. Student's Union did not perform a rally today because of the recent deaths of 2 of their members in Akka (see Birzeit News Story April 8). Instead they read sections of their election platform which can be read online here.An Nahdah
An Nahdah is the bigger of the two Islamic blocs contesting this year's election. Last year they won 44.59% of the votes and took 23 seats. This year, their election rally focused on the issues of prisoners and Jerusalem. Members of An Nahdah with their faces covered marched with a large map of Palestine inscribed with names of Palestinian martyrs.
Democratic Pole
The Democratic Pole is the largest of the left blocs on campus although this year two of their constituent groups took the decision to run seperately from the Pole. In their election rally this year, the Pole addressed the issue of solidarity with Lebanon and Iraq as well as reiterated their traditional themes of independence from the Palestinian Authority and the Islamic stream.
Islamic Group
The second of the Islamic blocs on campus which are running seperately this year. Running as the Bloc of the Martyr Fathi Shiqaqi in 1997 they picked up 1 seat. Last year they ran in a coalition within the An Nahdah bloc.
Change Bloc
Change first ran in 1997 but didn't win a seat until 1998 (when they won 2). A smaller bloc that emphasizes on-campus student issues and political independence within the student movement, they focused their rally this year on the student arrests which followed the visit of French Prime Minister Jospin to Birzeit University.