Abbas Says Palestinian Elections Postponed after Israeli Occupation Blocks Al-Quds Vote

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Thursday night that the Palestinian elections have been postponed until the Israeli occupation allows the vote to take place in Al-Quds (Jerusalem). Abbas made the announcement after a meeting of leaders of Palestinian factions in Ramallah late on Thursday. “We have decided to postpone the parliamentary elections until we ensure the participation of the people of Jerusalem,” Abbas said in a statement. “The elections must be held in all the Palestinian territories, including Al-Quds.” He said that he will work toward forming a Palestinian national unity government that would “abide by international resolutions and reinforce the PLO.” Earlier in the night, Abbas announced that the Israeli regime has informed the Palestinian Authority that it will not allow the Palestinians to hold elections in Al-Quds. “There will be no elections without Al-Quds,” Abbas said in opening remarks during a meeting of leaders of several Palestinian factions in Ramallah. The meeting was called amid reports that Abbas was set to announce the postponement of the elections indefinitely because of the Zionist entity’s reported refusal to allow the vote to take place in Al-Quds. He said that the US, European Union and some Arab countries also informed the Palestinians of Israeli refusal to allow the elections to take place in Jerusalem. Hamas Rejects Vote Delay Commenting on the announcement, Hamas Resistance movement said it rejects Palestinian Authority’s decision to delay first elections in 15 years, calling it a ‘coup.’ “Fatah and the Palestinian Authority bears full responsibility for the delay of elections as well as the repercussions of this decision,” Hamas said in a statement. In an earlier statement late on Wednesday, Hamas voiced rejection to the idea of postponing the elections, saying voting is a “fundamental national right.” The Resistance movement said voting must take place in east Al-Quds but rejected the idea that it required Israeli permission. Instead, it called for the leadership to explore ways of “forcing the elections in Jerusalem without the permission of or coordination with the occupation.” Hamas “will not be party to any postponement or cancellation and will not provide cover.”