Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, has expressed readiness to conduct presidential and parliamentary elections within the year if conditions permit. He announced plans for a vice-presidential position and amnesty for expelled Fatah members at the Cairo Arab League summit on Gaza reconstruction, emphasizing the Authority’s legitimacy amid a politicized backdrop involving Hamas.
Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, announced his readiness to hold presidential and parliamentary elections within the year during the Arab League summit focused on Gaza reconstruction in Cairo. He also revealed plans to establish a vice-presidential position and to grant amnesty to expelled members of his Fatah party, addressing requests from foreign supporters of the Palestinian Authority for such appointments.
Abbas, who has been in power since 2005 following the death of Yasser Arafat, emphasized the need for suitable conditions in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem to conduct elections. He stated, “We are fully prepared to hold general presidential and legislative elections next year, provided that the appropriate conditions are met in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem.”
The announcement of amnesty primarily affects Mohammed Dahlan, a former Fatah security chief in Gaza, now based in the UAE after being expelled from the party. Dahlan, once a key figure in the party, could play a significant role in Gaza’s governance, which is currently controlled by Hamas, a rival faction of Fatah.
In addressing the summit, Abbas insisted on the Palestinian Authority’s status as the sole legitimate governing and military power in the Palestinian territories. The last presidential and legislative elections occurred in January 2005 and January 2006, respectively, after which political life in Palestine stagnated due to internal conflict between Hamas and Fatah.
In summary, President Mahmoud Abbas’s assertion of readiness to hold elections, alongside the introduction of a vice-presidential role and amnesty for expelled Fatah members, marks a significant potential shift in Palestinian political dynamics. Such developments, contingent upon adequate conditions, could revitalize the long-stalled political process in the Palestinian territories amidst ongoing reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
Original Source: www.france24.com
