RAMALLAH – For the second time in a week, the Islamic Bloc, the student arm of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), won universities against the Youth Bloc, the student arm of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah).

The two blocs are the main contenders in the student council elections for universities, which are usually held during the spring each year, with less chances for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The Islamic Bloc advanced on Wednesday in the Birzeit University elections and last week in the An-Najah National University elections, while the Youth Movement narrowly advanced in the Palestine Polytechnic University elections last March.

These results come with the continued state of security persecution from the PA and follow-ups and harassment by the occupation of students of the Islamic Bloc, according to human rights reports on the one hand, as well as the escalation of the state of resistance in the West Bank and the Israeli aggression on Gaza on the other hand.

What are the most prominent influences on student attitudes and the results of university elections? To what extent are their results a reflection of the attitudes of the Palestinian street?

On May 16, the Islamic Bloc won the An-Najah National University elections (the university's Facebook page).

The Fund is a reflection of the state of confrontation

When looking at the results of the elections, it is necessary to consider a set of limitations, according to the director of the "Yabous" Center for Consulting and Strategic Studies, Suleiman Bisharat, the first of which is that the university elections "combine the concept of trade union services and the political framework, as student blocs are an intellectual extension of Palestinian movements and factions, and therefore the result of the vote cannot be isolated from the political positions that represent propaganda material during electoral campaigns."

He pointed out – in his speech to Al Jazeera Net – to the occupation as a second determinant; "What the occupation practices on the ground of attacks and targeting, and what is met by the people or adopted by the Palestinian factions reflected on the positions of students in voting."

He pointed to the absence of a state of general democracy in Palestine, noting that the absence of legislative and presidential elections since 2006 makes the young generation thirsty for attendance and participation in order to live the experience.

As to whether university elections are a measure of factional popularity on the street, Bisharat says the answer is tied to the timing and actual exercise of the land for each organizational extension of these student blocs.

He added that at the present time, there is a rise in the level of popular and public support for the confrontation with the occupation, and therefore in favor of the student blocs with an extension of the resistance program, while the Fatah movement is declining as it focuses on popular or peaceful resistance at this stage.

"Fatah's involvement in the PA and the fusion of its leadership and even part of the student movement's leadership under the framework of the Palestinian Authority makes it bear the consequences of the mistakes it makes, and pay a price for them through the ballot boxes," he said.

However, the spokesman believes that Fatah and Hamas are still the most capable of mobilizing the masses in any experiment, "which requires them to abandon the idea of exclusion and achieve the principle of political participation."

The lack of legislative and presidential elections since 2006 makes the young generation thirsty to attend and participate in student elections (university Facebook page)

There is no connection between universities and the mood of the street

For his part, the Jerusalem Center for Future Studies, Ahmed Rafiq Awad, downplays the "correlation and even statistical" between university elections and public elections.

In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Awad explains that the university elections "belong to a harmonious sample and similar in age and interests, unlike the Palestinian public is asymmetrical, and even lives large differences, and consists of many regions and affiliations."

Awad added that university elections are usually affected by current events, "and they have intense enthusiasm, ideals and very high expectations, within specific ideologies and icons, and the public is never like that."

As to whether university elections have an impact on decision-makers' attitudes towards holding or not holding general elections, the Palestinian researcher believes that the calculations of general elections are different from university elections.

He concluded by saying that "universities may be an indicator, but they do not create a decision, because the decision of legislative elections - whether or presidential - is not only Palestinian, but regional and global opinions are taken into account."

The Islamic Bloc wins the Birzeit University elections on May 24 (Facebook page of the university)

Open: We maintain our real size

For its part, Fatah attributes to itself the virtue of holding elections, and explains its decline in major universities in the West Bank by a combination of local and even international factors, according to its spokesman Hussein Hamayel.

Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, Hamayel added that the university elections "a state of democracy may be the Fatah movement is the basis, because it satisfies democratic work at a time when the Gaza Strip is deprived of these elections."

He said Fatah is "a party attached to the Palestinian authority and political leadership, and the financial blockade imposed on the PA hinders many achievements on the ground".

Hamas took advantage of the difficult situation in the West Bank due to the US and Israeli blockade, he said, adding that despite this, "Fatah insists on the independence of the Palestinian national decision, and will not succumb to any regional, international or funding pressures or dictates, and Fatah, despite all these difficult circumstances, maintains its true size in the Palestinian street."

"The success of the democratic wedding is first of all the success of Fatah," he said, expressing hope that elections would be held in the Gaza Strip as well as in the West Bank.

As for the impact of these results on the possibility of holding general and presidential elections, Hamayel said that "the occupation and international inaction are the obstacles to exercising our right to hold elections in all Palestinian cities, including Jerusalem."

On April 30, 2021, President Mahmoud Abbas decided to postpone legislative and presidential elections scheduled for the same year, until the Israeli authorities guaranteed the participation of residents of the occupied city of Jerusalem.

🔵🎞 #فيديو | Commander Ismail Haniyeh during the Bloc's victory festival in Birzeit: The Bloc has proven its ability to adapt all circumstances to its advantage. pic.twitter.com/JRr8iM8e99

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