MIDDLE EAST: Polling day began under a grey sky, a cruel chill wind blowing from the north. But everyone was cheerful at the little post office in Beit Hanina, a Jerusalem suburb.
Dyala Husseini received her ballot from the stamp window, laid it on the counter and marked her choices on two lists, national and district, folded the paper, handed it back and dipped her index finger into a pot of blue indelible ink.
A Polish observer from the EU mission watched every move. Yesterday's vote for the Palestinian parliament was one of the most closely observed in history.
Dyala voted for the first time in the holy city where she was born and her family has lived for 1,000 years. In 1996 and 2005 I journeyed with her to the West Bank.
Israel allows only 5 per cent of 120,000 Palestinian electors in Jerusalem to vote in post offices in the holy city under the pretence they are casting absentee ballots. The rest must travel beyond city limits.
In Bethlehem, relegated by Israel to the West Bank, polling stations were in schools where teachers served as election officers.
Children ran riot in the streets, brandishing party banners and handing out cards bearing the names, portraits and numbers of candidates.
Streets, still festooned with Christmas tinsel, were filled with smiling people and walls were plastered with colourful posters.
One building was covered by a vast picture of Marwan Barghouti, who tops the Fatah list, his manacled hands aloft in an Israeli prison.
During this campaign he has become the symbol of struggling people. This does not mean Fatah will win. Islamic Hamas is strong even in the town where Jesus was born.
There is only one polling booth in the boy's secondary school, a bleak breeze block building with thick metal grilles over its windows.
Observer Monica McWilliams, Northern Ireland's Human Rights Commissioner and former MLA, observed: "This is the worst school I've visited, but the election is very well organised here . . . They've had three elections this year, so they've a lot of practice."
After ballot boxes were delivered to the schools on Tuesday policemen remained on guard until the polls opened yesterday. "They are determined the world should know they have signed up to democratic accountability." she said.
Monitors will remain at West Bank centres until votes are counted and challenges from candidate agents are lodged. "We expect close results," Ms McWilliams added.
Three women in headscarves paused for a chat. "It's a great day for us. We hope this will help the Palestinians to win freedom. We hope for big changes," said Ibtisam Khatib.
"We want Hamas. The clever people will vote for Hamas. It will make a good deal for us with the Israelis."
She held up her candidate card: "You see, this is my brother. We are voting for him."