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'I hope for freedom of movement, for peace'

Monday 10 January 2005 01:00 GMT
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MOHAMMED TAUFIQ, 28, Ramallah, West Bank, uniformed Palestinian security serviceman

"I voted for Abu Mazen. I had a free choice. I hope for freedom of movement - I come from Gaza and haven't seen my family for seven years. I hope there will be peace but I'm not going to shoot at Hamas to get it. Even if I am under orders to."

ABIR REZEQ, 25, Abu Qash, unemployed women's studies graduate

"I am not saying how I voted - it's a personal matter which I discussed with my husband. I voted according to Palestinian interests and my own interests. I want a job and I have been unable to get one ... I would have voted for a woman candidate if there had been one."

ALI MUGRABI, 42, East Jerusalem, runs a record shop

"I voted for Mustafa Barghouti. He supports the continuation of the armed struggle and he is a former Communist like me. He is against corruption. I am worried that some people were turned away from this [Israeli-run] polling station because they couldn't find their names on the list."

IYAD HAMIS, 29, El Bireh, West Bank, unemployed taxi driver

"I used to work on the road between Ramallah and Jerusalem but now I can't because of the wall. I voted for Abu Mazen because I hope he will solve the economic and political problems. The Americans and Israelis didn't like Yasser Arafat so we didn't make progress."

MARINA IBSHARIA, 27, El Bireh, a Christian who has three sons

"I voted for Mustafa Barghouti because we like him and know him personally. He is a straightforward man. I am not deeply involved in politics but I hope there will more freedom of movement. I want my sons to be able to visit archaeological sites in Israel."

YUNIS ABU ESBAH, 40, East Jerusalem, shoe shop owner

"I'm not saying how I voted. I voted to show the world who know the West Bank is occupied what they don't know - Jerusalem is occupied too and is as much Palestinian as the West Bank. We are afraid we may lose our East Jerusalem ID cards if we vote, but I voted anyway."

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