Mohammed Dahlan
Mohammed DahlanReuters

Palestinian Authority (PA) cabinet leader Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday that the Palestinian cabinet is ready to hold general elections but demands that they be held in eastern Jerusalem as well.

"Israel has stated that it is committed to the signed agreements, one of the clauses of which deals with the participation of Jerusalem residents (in the elections), so we call on the EU through the Palestinian Foreign Minister to form a team of international observers to oversee the elections," said Shtayyeh.

Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Friday 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.

Abbas last renewed a pledge to hold fresh parliamentary elections in the PA in December of 2019. At the time, the PA chairman demanded that Israel allow the elections to be held in eastern Jerusalem, a request which Israel chose to ignore.

Abbas' term as PA chairman was meant to expire in 2009, but he has remained in office in the absence of elections.

No PA elections have taken place since 2006 and similar initiatives in the past have failed to result in elections.