Abbas announces agreement with Hamas to hold elections

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Saturday that he had reached agreement with the rival Hamas movement to hold presidential and parliamentary elections. Hamas did not immediately comment on Abbas’s announcement.

Abbas’s announcement came after he received a letter from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh about ending the dispute between Hamas and Abbas’s Fatah faction. Since 2007, Fatah and Hamas have reached several “reconciliation” agreements but plans since then to hold elections have never materialized.

Palestinians said on Saturday they believe the announcement is intended as a message to the incoming US administration of President-elect Joe Biden that the PA is serious about holding new elections.

Abbas and senior Palestinian officials have indicated their desire to deal with the Biden administration. The PA leadership has boycotted the administration of US President Donald Trump since December 2017.

The last presidential election was held in January 2005, when Abbas was elected to a four-year term. A year later, the Palestinians held parliamentary election that resulted in a Hamas victory. In 2007, Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip after overthrowing the PA regime there.

The letter was relayed to Abbas by senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub, who has been negotiating with Hamas in recent months about ways to end the rivalry between the two parties.

“After reviewing Haniyeh’s letter, Abbas gave his instructions to Rajoub to inform Hamas that he [Abbas] welcomes what was mentioned in the letter regarding ending the division [between Fatah and Hamas], establishing partnership and achieving national unity through democratic elections with full proportional representation,” a statement issued by the PA president’s office said. “Fatah is committed to the path of building partnership and national unity.”

Abbas has decided to invite Hanna Naser, Chairman of the Palestinian Central Elections Committee, to discuss the procedures required to issue a decree for holding the elections in accordance with the law, the statement read.

Abbas thanked Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Russia and Jordan for their efforts to reach the agreement with Fatah to hold the elections.

Last year, Rajoub announced that he had reached agreement with Hamas on holding elections following a series of meetings between Fatah and Hamas officials in Turkey, Qatar and Egypt. Hamas, however, did not confirm the agreement.

Fatah and Hamas launched unity talks in July 2020 and said they agreed to work together to thwart US and Israeli “conspiracies” against the Palestinians.

Their efforts to end the dispute ended last October after the PA announced its decision to restore civil and security relations with Israel.