Abbas faces pressure over whether to postpone long-delayed Palestinian elections
Abbas could use the time during the postponement to make internal arrangements within his divided faction before Palestinians ever have the opportunity to vote.
Amid mounting questions, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas faces pressure regarding the timing of the long-delayed Palestinian Legislative Council elections. Senior Fatah officials reportedly believe Abbas will likely postpone the vote once again, fearing Mohammed Dahlan's camp would gain significant political control. Hussein al-Sheikh, the PA's deputy chairman, is pushing for the postponement, citing the Central Elections Commission's inability to conduct elections in Gaza or East Jerusalem.
Despite this rationale, European officials are pushing for a monitoring mission to oversee the elections scheduled for November. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is reportedly requesting the EU send a collective to monitor the vote. Abbas had promised to hold elections as part of a deal with France and ten other nations to recognize a Palestinian state.
Dahlan recently met with Hamas in Cairo, and the Jerusalem Post confirmed he is seeking to unify Palestinian factions, including Hamas. This development could provide Hamas and its allies with the chance to seize political power or create a new center of influence outside Abbas's control. Menachem noted that the PLC elections could also enable a referendum on the PA and its leadership, which have consistently polled poorly and are widely seen as corrupt.
The postponement may also allow Abbas to make internal arrangements within his divided faction, according to senior PA officials. These officials noted that internal reconciliation within Fatah is the real test. Fatah officials, such as Sheikh and Jibril Rajoub, who have frequently clashed, met last weekend in an effort to mend the rift. These efforts are also being promoted by several Arab states, who worry a weakened PA could threaten the political framework necessary to address the post-war period.
Adding further pressure to hold the election as planned, the ongoing PA legitimacy crisis would make any postponement appear as if Fatah fears the election's outcome.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
