- 23 Nov 2017 09:13
#14865206
As it says. Elections have been agreed upon. Both Fatah's PA & the Hamas-majority Legislative Council terms have expired so this needs to be settled
Palestinian factions agree on elections
France24
CAIRO (AFP) -
Palestinian factions said Wednesday they agreed on the need to hold elections by the end of 2018 and praised the unity deal aimed at ending a long-running dispute between Fatah and Hamas.
The call for elections was made in a joint statement at the end of two days of closed-door talks attended by representatives of 13 leading political parties.
The factions called on the electoral commission to prepare for presidential and legislative elections to be held by the end of next year at the latest.
They asked Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to set a date for the polls after consulting with all sides.
The factions also praised the unity deal struck between the two largest parties -- Hamas and Fatah -- in October.
The Egyptian-sponsored agreement is aimed at ending the 10-year rift between them, and calls on Hamas to cede power in the Gaza Strip to Fatah by December 1.
The statement said the reconciliation deal between the Islamist movement Hamas and Abbas's Fatah party was a "realistic start to end divisions".
It underscored the "importance of removing all obstacles in the path of the government's efforts to immediately assume its responsibilities towards our people".
There have been no Palestinian parliamentary elections since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 from Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority government in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
As it says. Elections have been agreed upon. Both Fatah's PA & the Hamas-majority Legislative Council terms have expired so this needs to be settled
"Why is it always the innocents who suffer most, when you high lords play your game of thrones?" Lord Varys, Game of Thrones.