A senior Fatah official has raised doubts over whether Palestinian Authority (PA) legislative elections will take place on November 28 as planned, saying a broad national dialogue is needed before the vote can proceed.
Jibril Rajoub, secretary-general of the Fatah Central Committee, told reporters in Ramallah on Thursday that "there are indications that the elections cannot be held on Nov. 28", as quoted by Xinhua.
At the same time, he maintained that holding elections remains Fatah's preferred course. "However, elections were and should remain our strategic choice and our path to governance," he added, calling for comprehensive Palestinian national dialogue to establish agreement on the mechanisms for conducting the elections.
PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas set November 28 as the date for legislative elections in a decree issued in July. Elections for the PA chairmanship are scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
Abbas has also approved changes to the electoral system. Under the revised law, the Palestinian Legislative Council would expand to 200 seats, candidates would have to be at least 23 years old, women's representation would increase and all candidates would be required to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian Arab people.
Hamas has opposed the amendments, arguing that they would strengthen what it calls "unilateral" control over the Palestinian political system. Nevertheless, the terrorist organization said last month that it plans to participate in the legislative elections as part of the broadest possible unified coalition.
The planned vote would be the first PA legislative election in two decades. Abbas, 90, was elected PA chairman in 2005 for a four-year term that officially expired in 2009, but remains in that role in the absence of elections.
The Legislative Council has not functioned since 2007, when Hamas carried out a violent military takeover of Gaza, deepening the political split between the two factions. Abbas formally dissolved the parliament in 2018.
The last legislative elections were held in 2006, when Hamas secured a majority of seats. Since the 2007 split, Hamas has maintained administrative and military control over Gaza, while the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority exercises civilian administration in Judea and Samaria.
PA general elections had also been scheduled for 2021, but Abbas subsequently postponed the vote, amid likely concerns that Hamas could again defeat Fatah.