Palestinian-Canadian Lawyer Diana Buttu on Israeli Elections and Palestinian Democracy

Palestinian-Canadian lawyer and analyst Diana Buttu will cast her vote in Israel's upcoming October elections, despite rejecting the country's claim to be a democracy. In an interview with der Freitag, she explains her decision to participate in the vote while criticizing the Israeli political system. The discussion addresses whether a change of government could alter conditions for Palestinians, and also covers the Palestinian elections planned for November. Recent polling suggests Benjamin Netanyahu may be on track to lose the October vote, but Buttu notes that his government's policy toward Palestinians has been backed by a much broader political establishment. She questions how much would actually change under a different leadership. The interview also explores what a new Israeli government might mean for Palestinians and what Buttu expects from the planned Palestinian elections in November. The conversation was published by der Freitag, with the full text available in the current issue.