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The European Union on Thursday urged Israel not to obstruct the upcoming Palestinian Authority elections, the Xinhua news agency reports.

Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff, the EU representative to the PA, said the EU continues its contact with the Israeli government to allow the legislative elections to be held in Palestinian territories "without interruption or obstacles."

Burgsdorff made the remarks in a meeting in Ramallah with Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

He told reporters that within the coming days, the EU will intensify its efforts with all parties concerned, including Israel, on holding the elections, ending internal Palestinian division and establishing the Palestinian state.

Al-Ahmad said it is necessary for the EU to keep pressuring Israel not to obstruct the Palestinian elections in eastern Jerusalem.

PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas recently issued a decree ordering general elections in PA-assigned territories.

The decree states that legislative elections will take place on May 22. A “presidential” election will take place on July 31. It sets a deadline of August 31 for establishing the Palestinian National Council.

The PA has continuously demanded that Israel permit Arabs residing in eastern Jerusalem to vote in the elections. In this regard, PA officials have been working in the international arena in an attempt to get Israel to agree to this demand.

The PA has in the past used Israel’s refusal to permit Jerusalem Arabs to vote as an excuse not to hold elections at all.