Palestinian factions say resolute in holding May 22 elections
Palestinian political factions have met in Ramallah to declare their resolve to hold the long-awaited May 22 elections despite Israel’s efforts to undermine the polls.
The city in the occupied West Bank, the seat of the Palestinian Authority, hosted the political parties on Monday.
The participants in the meeting warned Israel against obstructing the elections process, the official Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.
In January, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the 2021 elections would include Legislative Council polls on May 22, presidential vote on July 31 and the National Council elections slated for August 31.
The vote is part of a collective effort by Palestinian factions, including the two major parties of Fatah and Hamas, to boost support for Palestinian governance.
The Palestinian leadership has been divided between Fatah and Hamas since 2006. Back then, Hamas scored a landslide victory in parliamentary elections in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Hamas has ever since been running the densely-populated coastal enclave, while Fatah has been based in the autonomous parts of the West Bank.
Fatah and Hamas have reached an agreement for the voting to take place in the West Bank and Gaza. But it remains to be seen whether the Palestinians in the occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds would be able to vote. Palestinian leaders want the voting to be held in the east, the area where they see as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
Palestinian factions have announced a unified stance against attempts by Israel, the United States and some Arab countries to undermine the Palestinian cause.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi have reportedly expressed shared concerns about the potential victory of Hamas.
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