Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas released a decree on Friday announcing the dates for parliamentary and presidential elections in the Palestinian Authority.
Why it matters: It is the first time in 15 years that such a decision has been published. The last presidential election was in 2005, with Abbas winning, and the last parliamentary election in 2006, with Hamas winning.
Driving the news: The parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 22 and the presidential elections for July 31 – although those plans may still fail.
- Abbas today met with the chairman of the Central Election Commission and instructed him to prepare for elections in the West Bank, Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and Israel-controlled East Jerusalem.
- Last week, Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh told Abbas in a letter that the movement would agree to hold elections as part of a national reconciliation process.
Flashback: After Hamas won the 2006 elections, the Palestinian Authority deteriorated into a deep political crisis between Hamas and Fatah, Abbas’s party.
- The US and other world powers announced they would not cooperate with Hamas until it recognized Israel, denounced terrorism, and adhered to previous agreements with Israel.
- Hamas refused to adhere to those conditions and continues to reject them to this day. The US, UK, EU and other Western governments are still boycotting Hamas, and the US labels the group as a terrorist organization.
- In 2007 civil war broke out in the Gaza Strip and Hamas took the area by force.
The big picture: Abbas’s announcement comes after numerous failed attempts at reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, and after several plans to hold elections failed.
- Abbas, who is 85 and in the 15th year of his four-year tenure, is not very popular. Recent polls indicate he could lose to a Hamas candidate.
What’s next: Many analysts are skeptical about whether these elections will actually take place.
- One of the main stumbling blocks is East Jerusalem. If Israel doesn’t allow a vote there, the election can be canceled.