Palestinian elections face postponement as Abbas and factions agree on delay

Palestinian legislative elections scheduled for 28 November look increasingly likely to be postponed, with President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly preparing to announce a delay and the main factions recommending the vote be pushed back to 2027.

Qatar’s Al-Araby TV reported that Abbas is preparing to postpone the vote, possibly before registration for electoral lists closes on Sunday, with no replacement date set. Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine back a delay, according to the report, and Fatah is seeking renewed talks with Hamas in Cairo in the coming days. Egyptian officials separately received Hamas and Islamic Jihad delegations on Wednesday.

Separately, Fatah and Hamas agreed this week to hold a “national dialogue” before any vote. Fatah central committee secretary-general Jibril Rajoub said the factions would recommend to Abbas and the PLO Executive Committee that the elections be postponed to allow time for dialogue and consensus. Islamic Jihad deputy secretary-general Mohammed al-Hindi told the Associated Press the factions had reached understandings on renewing dialogue and postponing the vote; a new date is expected during 2027.

The prospect of a delay has grown as Israel refuses to allow the Palestinian Central Elections Commission into Gaza and East Jerusalem to prepare for the vote. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc was “ready to deploy” election observers.

The November vote would be the first Palestinian legislative election since 2006, when Hamas defeated Fatah; the last presidential election was held in 2005, and a 2021 vote was postponed indefinitely over East Jerusalem participation. An August poll by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center found only 29 per cent of Palestinians expected the vote to proceed.

Sources: i24NEWS, Al Arabiya, ynetnews, TRT World