Abbas postpones Palestinian legislative elections to September 2027

Ramallah, West Bank - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has postponed legislative elections until September 2027, according to official media reports. The elections, previously scheduled for November 28, 2026, will now coincide with presidential elections on September 11, 2027, Abbas announced in a decree received by Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The delay, Abbas claimed, is due to obstacles imposed by Israel, which have prevented elections from being held on their original date. Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Saar, accused Abbas of deceiving the international community by postponing the polls. The international community, including the European Union, has long advocated for these elections, considering them a crucial step towards the rule of law in the Palestinian territories.

The Palestinian Legislative Council, the parliament of the Palestinian Authority (PA), has not convened since 2007, following a power struggle between the rival Fatah and Hamas factions. Israel has blocked Palestinian election officials from entering East Jerusalem and Gaza, further complicating the electoral process.