Palestine’s president says to decide date for holding elections after agreement with factions

Ramallah,   Palestinian  | XINHUA |    Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced that holding the elections in Palestine will be decided after an agreement with the Palestinian factions is reached, official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Thursday.

Abbas made the announcement during a telephone conversation late on Wednesday night with Josep Borrell, the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy.

The president informed Borrell that as soon as an agreement is reached with the Palestinian factions, including the Islamic Hamas movement, “a date for holding the parliamentary elections will be announced” and presidential elections will be held afterward.

Palestinian officials had earlier said that Abbas would hold an online meeting soon with representatives of 14 Palestinian factions to announce a reconciliation agreement that includes setting a date for holding the general elections in Palestine.

The Palestinians held the last presidential elections in 2005, when Abbas succeeded late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. In 2006, Hamas won the parliamentary elections held in the Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, the WAFA reported that Abbas also briefed Borrell on the latest political developments in the region and preparing for holding an international conference for peace in the Middle East this year.

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