Hamas Rejects Delay in Palestinian Elections

The Islamist movement Hamas on Thursday spoke out against a possible delay of the Palestinian elections planned for May 22. This could happen as Israel opposes the holding of elections in the occupied territories.

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The decision to postpone or cancel the elections "is the responsibility of whoever makes it," Hamas said hours before a meeting at which Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is expected to announce whether the polls will be held on time or delayed.

In recent days, he has said that parliamentary elections would not be held if Palestinians cannot vote in East Jerusalem, a territory that has been militarily occupied by Israel.

Hamas said the solution is to hold a national meeting to discuss mechanisms to impose elections in Jerusalem without permission or coordination with Israel, which it blamed for trying to keep the various Palestinian factions divided.

During the last week, various representatives of the Islamist movement, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, rejected the postponement of the elections arguing that "it would have repercussions on the future of Palestinian reconciliation" and could push "the Palestinian people into the unknown".

The suspension of the parliamentary elections would benefit Abbas since his nationalist Fatah party is divided and will run with three different lists in the first elections called in the last 15 years.