RAMALLAH, Monday, December 16, 2019 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas‘ Fatah movement today expressed surprise at Hamas‘ position on holding the general elections in Palestine without Jerusalem and demanded that it clarify its position on this.

Fatah spokesman Osama Qawasmi said in a press statement that the position of Fatah movement from the beginning was that the elections should take place in the whole country, particularly in Jerusalem. "We have been working day and night with all the international parties to pressure Israel to agree on holding elections in Jerusalem," he said, stressing that "calling to issue a presidential decree to hold general elections without Jerusalem is suspicious."

Qawasmi stressed: "We in Fatah insist on holding the general elections, and that democracy is part of our conviction that we have not stopped implementing for one day, contrary to what Hamas is doing in preventing elections in all institutions."

All the factions, including Hamas, have agreed to hold legislative and presidential elections not held since 2006 in all the Palestinian territories. However, the Palestinian Authority insists that elections will not be held if Israel does not allow them in occupied East Jerusalem.

M.K.