OMM Redaksiyası
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has postponed parliamentary elections planned for next month until Sept. 11, 2027. He also decided that presidential elections would be held on the same date.
According to the official Palestinian WAFA news agency, Abbas’s decree cited “obstacles created by Israeli measures” and the need to establish suitable political, security and local conditions for “free, fair and inclusive elections.”
The decree called on Palestinians living in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza to take part in the vote.
Palestinians have not held parliamentary elections since 2006 or presidential elections since 2005. Abbas has governed by decree since his presidential term ended in 2009.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized Abbas’s statements on social media platform X. Noting that the last Palestinian elections were held nearly 20 years ago, he called the stated reasons “another ridiculous lie” intended to evade responsibility.
Clashes broke out between Hamas and forces loyal to Abbas’s Fatah movement after the 2006 parliamentary elections, and Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.
The decision followed consultations with Palestinian factions and political groups. The decree also stressed the importance of comprehensive national dialogue to strengthen Palestinian unity and address challenges facing the election process.
Two Palestinian officials told Reuters on Thursday that Fatah and Hamas leaders had agreed to postpone the elections at a meeting in Cairo on Wednesday.
A poll conducted in August by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed declining support for both movements. Many Palestinians blame them for the political division between Gaza and the West Bank.
In an address to the UN General Assembly on Sept. 24, Abbas had reaffirmed plans to hold elections in November as he sought to advance reforms backed by the international community.
In September 2025, as part of France’s recognition of a Palestinian state, he had pledged to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to hold presidential and parliamentary elections.
France’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that holding elections was important and welcomed the establishment of a European Union election observation mission.
