RAMALLAH, May 30, 2017 (WAFA) – The Palestinian cabinet decided in its weekly meeting Tuesday to hold the supplementary local elections in 66 councils where elections were not held on the regular election day, the cabinet said in a statement.

The cabinet decided to hold the first supplementary elections in the West Bank on July 29, whereas it decided to hold the second phase of the supplementary elections in the Gaza Strip districts on October 10, as came in the cabinet statement.

Elections were not held in Gaza because Hamas, the de-facto power in Gaza, refused to allow them to be held there.

The cabinet said it has instructed Minister of Local Government, Hussein al-Araj, to follow up with the Central Elections Commission on holding the supplementary elections on the specified dates.

Whereas regular local elections were held on May 13 in 145 West Bank councils, 66 localities had failed to present lists as required by law to run for the elections and therefore did not have elections. If these councils also fail to agree on lists, then the cabinet may appoint the council members.

M.N./M.K.