Muslims are banned by religious law from
participating in Israel's election according to the Palestinian
Authority-appointed Mufti of Jerusalem. Ikrima Sabri was quoted by
an Egyptian newspaper as saying that casting a ballot for a Jewish
candidate represents an expression of faith in a Jew, which is banned
by Islam (JTA,
February 5, 2001).
Fatah leader
Marwan Barghouti said the intifada would continue, regardless of who
wins the election, and said that anti-Israel protests would be staged
on election day. "The message we want to send Israeli society
with the demonstrations is that the uprising will continue, regardless
of who the prime minister of Israel is," Barghouti said. (Jerusalem
Post, February 6, 2001)