Last-minute arrangements for observers at polling stations has now become a major focus of attention as the Likud party poises itself for Sunday's referendum. The vote will be on whether to accept or reject Prime Minister Sharon's plan to uproot the Jewish towns in Gaza and abandon its buildings, synagogues, schools and farms to the terrorists - in a unilateral manner with no agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
Anti-expulsion groups are increasingly worried about attempts by the Sharon camp to falsify the results of Sunday's vote. This, because of the "compromise" that was agreed upon yesterday according to which observers from the anti-withdrawal camp will not be allowed in each polling station, but rather in each cluster of polling stations. "For instance," explained Michael Puah of the Likud's Manhigut Yehudit faction, "the Binyanei HaUmah Jerusalem Conference Center [the capital's only polling station] has 26 polling stations - and only four observers will be allowed... In other cases, there will be one observer for every polling station that is 50 meters away from another station."
Observers from both sides will be allowed, however, in each polling station at the beginning and end of the voting, as well as the counting. Puah said that he had just "come from a meeting in Likud headquarters in which we went over every single polling station - some 450 of them - and who will open each one on the morning of the referendum."
Puah made the following open call:
"All those who are in favor of the plan should make a last-minute reckoning regarding the ramifications of expelling people from their homes in the Land of Israel, while those who are against should not rely on the polls but must rather vote and get others to vote. We need people to stand outside the polls and encourage people to vote in favor of the Land of Israel, as well as people to drive others to vote - being arranged by local chapters and the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza [Yesha] (02-5810624). And above all, we need prayer!"
Likud MK Chaim Katz, who is heading the Referendum Day logistics of the camp that is opposed to the retreat, has called upon his workers to make extra efforts to ensure that there are no falsifications. Likud MK Moshe Kachlon similarly called on the activists not to be caught off-guard.
Another concern of the opponents of the retreat/expulsion plan is that Yesha residents who signed up with the Likud - including even long-time members - have suddenly found that their names do not appear on the list of voters. Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman reports, for instance, on the case of Atty. Moti Mintzer and his wife Tzviyah of Elkanah in the Shomron who have been paying their Likud membership dues for 30 years now - yet they are not on the list of voters. Several other residents of Elkanah also found themselves with a similar problem. In addition, Shalom Litov of Kfar Darom and Meir Cohen of Atzmonah, both of whom signed up with the Manhigut Faction of the Likud between three and five months ago, were also informed that they are not on the list. Atty. Mintzer has submitted a suit to the Likud court, demanding that all those who have regularly paid their dues be allowed to vote, even if their names do not appear on the list of voters.
Anti-expulsion groups are increasingly worried about attempts by the Sharon camp to falsify the results of Sunday's vote. This, because of the "compromise" that was agreed upon yesterday according to which observers from the anti-withdrawal camp will not be allowed in each polling station, but rather in each cluster of polling stations. "For instance," explained Michael Puah of the Likud's Manhigut Yehudit faction, "the Binyanei HaUmah Jerusalem Conference Center [the capital's only polling station] has 26 polling stations - and only four observers will be allowed... In other cases, there will be one observer for every polling station that is 50 meters away from another station."
Observers from both sides will be allowed, however, in each polling station at the beginning and end of the voting, as well as the counting. Puah said that he had just "come from a meeting in Likud headquarters in which we went over every single polling station - some 450 of them - and who will open each one on the morning of the referendum."
Puah made the following open call:
"All those who are in favor of the plan should make a last-minute reckoning regarding the ramifications of expelling people from their homes in the Land of Israel, while those who are against should not rely on the polls but must rather vote and get others to vote. We need people to stand outside the polls and encourage people to vote in favor of the Land of Israel, as well as people to drive others to vote - being arranged by local chapters and the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza [Yesha] (02-5810624). And above all, we need prayer!"
Likud MK Chaim Katz, who is heading the Referendum Day logistics of the camp that is opposed to the retreat, has called upon his workers to make extra efforts to ensure that there are no falsifications. Likud MK Moshe Kachlon similarly called on the activists not to be caught off-guard.
Another concern of the opponents of the retreat/expulsion plan is that Yesha residents who signed up with the Likud - including even long-time members - have suddenly found that their names do not appear on the list of voters. Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman reports, for instance, on the case of Atty. Moti Mintzer and his wife Tzviyah of Elkanah in the Shomron who have been paying their Likud membership dues for 30 years now - yet they are not on the list of voters. Several other residents of Elkanah also found themselves with a similar problem. In addition, Shalom Litov of Kfar Darom and Meir Cohen of Atzmonah, both of whom signed up with the Manhigut Faction of the Likud between three and five months ago, were also informed that they are not on the list. Atty. Mintzer has submitted a suit to the Likud court, demanding that all those who have regularly paid their dues be allowed to vote, even if their names do not appear on the list of voters.
