Fatah Supports, Others Object to Postponement of Local Elections

RAMALLAH, August 23, 2011 (WAFA) – Fatah Central Committee Member Mahmoud Al-Aloul Tuesday justified the Palestinian Authority’s decision to postpone local elections saying it came at the request of Hamas in order to hold elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip at the same time. President Mahmoud Abbas issued a ruling on Monday postponing the elections “until appropriate circumstances allowing holding it nationwide exist.” Aloul said that Hamas asked for the postponement until reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas is reached and the West Bank and Gaza Strip are reunited under one authority so that elections can be held in both regions at the same time.He said that Abbas’ decision to postpone local elections “aims to provide a more constructive atmosphere to reach reconciliation.” Aloul said Abbas asked Fatah Central Committee member, Azzam Al-Ahmad, to meet Palestinian factions in the West Bank to discuss the decision to postpone elections. He claimed that many Palestinian factions “understand the situation and the reason behind postponing elections.” However, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) was one of several major Palestinian factions who expressed disappointment at the decision. Qais Abdul Karim (Abu Laila), a lawmaker and a senior member of the DFLP political office, expressed surprise at Abbas’ decision, saying “the Palestinian basic law does not give the president the right to postpone elections.” He said that elections should not be linked to reconciliation because “obviously, reconciliation is not going to happen.” Al-Mizan human rights group welcomed Abbas’ decision, saying “free and fair elections require national harmony.”This is the third time elections had been postponed mainly because Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, has refused to allow them to be held there before Hamas and Fatah reach final reconciliation. Regarding the Palestinian Authority’s financial situation, Aloul said that the reason for it was because donor countries were not making their financial obligations in order to block PA’s efforts to ask the United Nations in September for recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, a step strongly opposed by the United States, Israel and several European Union countries. He added that the financial crisis aims to pressure PA to resume direct negotiations with Israel. M.H./M.A.