Hamas Agrees to Hold Palestinian Elections

Date: 05 January 2021 - 21:58

News ID: ۸۶۲۵۹

GAZA (Dispatches) – A senior Hamas official says the Palestinian resistance movement has agreed to hold the general elections in the Palestinian territories after four countries have guaranteed the success of the elections.
The guarantees were given by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Russia, said Taher al-Nono, an aide to Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, in a press statement
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas earlier said he had received a letter from Haniyeh on ending the dispute between Hamas and Abbas’ Fatah.
"Haniyeh’s letter to President Abbas to hold the elections came as a step to achieve partnership and unity of the Palestinian institution on three levels: legislative, presidential, and the National Council,” al-Nono said.
He revealed that Hana Nasser, chairman of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission, will soon visit Gaza to prepare and negotiate a mechanism for the elections.
On Sunday, Haniyeh said in a televised speech aired on Al-Aqsa TV that Hamas and Fatah had put an end to their dispute over the general elections, adding Hamas was ready to participate in the legislative and presidential elections.
The internal division between Fatah and Hamas came after Hamas gained victory in an election in 2007 in the Gaza Strip.
Abbas welcomed on Saturday Islamic Hamas movement’s letter on ending internal Palestinian division and holding general elections in the Palestinian territories.
Palestine’s official news agency WAFA said in an official statement that Abbas welcomes what came in Hamas’s letter about ending division, building partnership, and accomplishing national unity.
Hamas’s political office chief Ismail Haniyeh addressed Abbas an official letter through Jibril Rajoub, the Fatah Movement’s Central Committee member, said WAFA report.
"After reading the letter, President Abbas gave his directives to Rajoub to inform Hamas of his welcome of what was stated in the letter regarding ending division, building partnership, and achieving national unity,” the report said.
The report also said that Abbas told Rajoub to inform Hamas leadership that Fatah movement is committed to the path of building Palestinian partnership and national unity.