- Title: Palestinian Authority says it will hold legislative and presidential elections
- Date: 15th January 2021
- Summary: ABBAS STANDING FOR NATIONAL ANTHEM CROWN DURING ABBAS CAMPAIGN
- Embargoed: 29th January 2021 19:12
- Keywords: Abbas Gaza Jerusalem Palestinians West Bank elections
- Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA / RAMALLAH, HEBRON, JERICHO AND NABLUS, WEST BANK / JERUSALEM / CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: GAZA CITY, GAZA / RAMALLAH, HEBRON, JERICHO AND NABLUS, WEST BANK / JERUSALEM / CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Middle East,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA003DVBFNLZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Friday (January 15) announced it would hold its first national elections in more than a decade, in the latest of many attempts to end years of infighting between President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement and his Islamist rival Hamas.
Palestinians' last parliamentary ballot in 2006 resulted in a surprise win by Hamas, widening an internal political rift that led to the group's seizure of the Gaza Strip in 2007 and contributed to a long delay in setting further elections.
The PA, which has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, will hold legislative elections on May 22 and a presidential vote on June 31, a decree from Abbas's office said.
"The President instructed the election committee and all state apparatuses of the state to launch a democratic election process in all cities of the homeland," the decree said, referring to the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.
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